Cardamom is native to India, Bhutan, and Nepal. Counties such as Srilanka, Mexico, and Thailand have begun cultivating cardamom. Today, Guatemala is the largest producer of cardamom followed by India. The fruit of cardamom is harvested before it ripens and produces about 2 to 5 percent of the oil. The plant grows about 4 meters in length and bears seed pods after two years. Each pod measures about 1 to 2 centimeters. The word cardamom is derived from the Latin word cardamomum meaning spice plant. The plant has been used in traditional Ayurveda for centuries. It has been used in Portugal since the 16th century