Costus speciosus variegated 'Variegated Crepe Ginger'

Product Details:

Ships bare rooted. 28 to 32 inches in height.

Costus speciosus variegated 'Variegated Crepe Ginger'- Great reddish spiral stems with sharply variegated foliage make it a standout in the garden landscape. Underside of leaves hairy. Dark maroon terminal cones from which white crepe flower emerge. Medium to full sun. Grows from 5 to 7 feet in height. Not as hardy as non-variegated form. Great container plant. Zones 9 and higher.

COSTUS--Called "spiral" gingers. Have true stems and spirally-arranged foliage. Many are grown for cut flowers and flowers attract hummingbirds. Medium to full sun. Flower petals open from a cone on the terminal end of stems.

Gingers are the queen flowers of the plant world. They are the source of wonderous fragrances and possess exquisitely delicate foliage and flowers. The fragrance of some butterfly gingers will take your breath away.

Gingers enjoy a special position in the botanical kingdom with their elegance in form and textures, sparkling color and amazing symmetry. The word ginger conjures up images of an exotic oriental food flavoring. However edible ginger is only one of approximately 1,300 species of the very diverse Zingiberaceae family. Gingers are classed as a herbaceous perennial and have enjoyed popularity as an ornamental plant in Asia and the Far East for centuries. Only recently have they become known as outstanding ornamentals in the U.S.

Gingers as a group add outstanding exotic foliage and exotic flowers to the landscape. Gingers are wonderful plants for southern climates and protected northern climates. In both areas gingers are finding favor as interior landscape plants and most do very well in containers. Gingers are heavy feeders and drinkers during the growing season. Most do best in partial shade; however some thrive in full sun, others in full shade. So gingers provide plants for all light conditions. Many species enter dormancy in response to shorter days, cool temperatures, or dry conditions. Rhizomes (the underground stem) survive in a dormant condition beneath the soil surface during cold or dry conditions. Stokes Tropicals' Ginger Blend (8-4-6) is an excellent fertilizer source for these wonderful plants.