Curcuma phaeocaulis produces flower scapes that emerge individually from its rhizomes. The flowers usually appear in early spring before the leaves grow. Due to its elegant appearance, it is commonly planted in parks as an ornamental plant. In modern medicine, its rhizomes are used for their anti-tumor, antimicrobial, and circulation-promoting properties.

Both Curcuma phaeocaulis and C. aromatica (Aromatic Tumeric) belong to the same genus and look very similar. They can be distinguished by their leaf difference: C. phaeocaulis has hairless leaves with purple patches in the middle, where petioles are longer than leaf blades; whereas C. aromatica has soft hairs on the lower leaf surface where petioles and leaf blades have approximately the same length.