Turmeric is a perennial plant that is native to tropical South Asia and is part of the ginger family. It can grow up to 6 feet tall and has trumpet-shaped, dull yellow flowers. The roots of the turmeric plant are bulbs that produce rhizomes, which then produce stems and roots for new plants. The underground stem of the turmeric plant, called the rhizome, contains a substance called curcumin that gives turmeric its yellow color and may have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.