ObjectiveTo study the accumulation and absorption of dry matter and nutrients in Curcuma phaeocaulis from Sichuan， the origin of Curcumae Radix （tuber） and Curcumae Rhizoma （rhizome）， to explore the growth and development laws and nutrient demand characteristics of the medicinal species， and thus to lay a theoretical basis for rational fertilization. MethodThe plant growth indexes， dry matter accumulation， and nutrient content of C. phaeocaulis at different growth stages in Sichuan were measured and analyzed. ResultThis medicinal species featured the dominant growth of aboveground leaves and stems before October and growth of underground part （particularly the rhizomes and tubers） from October. During the whole growth period， the accumulation of nitrogen， phosphorus， potassium， calcium， magnesium， iron， manganese， zinc， and copper per plant was 2 450.31， 907.09， 3 171.18， 625.94， 493.38， 14.53， 2.24 ， 2.93， 0.46 mg， respectively， with the order of potassium > nitrogen > phosphorus > calcium > magnesium > iron > zinc > manganese > copper. ConclusionThe species needs sufficient potassium and nitrogen， appropriate amount of phosphorus， calcium， and magnesium， a small amount of iron， and very little zinc， manganese， and copper for growth， and potassium is particularly important. Nitrogen， phosphorus， and potassium fertilizers supply macroelements and nitrogen fertilizer should be supplemented at seedling stage， leafy stage， early rhizome expansion stage， tuber expansion stage， and the second expansion stage of rhizome. Phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should be applied at seedling stage， tuber expansion stage， secondary expansion stage of rhizome， and dry matter accumulation stage of tuber and rhizome. At seedling stage， leafy stage， early rhizome expansion stage， tuber expansion stage， and the second expansion stage of rhizome， a variety of medium and trace elements-containing foliar fertilizers should be used.