A colorful ginger

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

I took these photos today of a very prolific ginger growing in my shade house. They have very thick stems, long leaves that feel like fuzzy cardboard and a beautiful large bloom. I've cut the clumps down to the ground twice now and it just keeps growing back even stronger. Some of these blooms are at least 10 inches long.

[BS Man about Palms]

Thats a beauty Jeff!

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

I took a walk in the forest today looking for Astrocaryum standleyanum seeds for someone, and I followed the stream up to the waterfall. There were a few of these corkscrew looking vines around the waterfall.

The leaves of the vine

Downstream from the waterfall

Carludovica palmata on the left

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

More Carludovica palmata and a couple Attalea seedlings. The plant in the foreground is Calathea lutea

One of the many boulders on the property.

This frond didn't fall on the car but if fell close by. I propped it up there to give some scale of the size of the frond. I'm still not sure what this palm is. Some have described it as Rhopaloblaste and someone else said it looked like Euterpe. Can anyone tell for sure by looking at the frond?

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

Thats a beauty Jeff!

Thanks Bill!

[metalfan]

Your ginger is some sort of costus. Its beautiful!

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

Thanks Metalfan! Do you know if this ginger is available in FL? By the looks of it, I would think it would be relatively cold hardy. It's a very robust and fast growing plant.

[metalfan]

I have never seen that particular costus anywhere here, but if they had it I would buy one in a hot second! Costus barbatus is probably the most popular large growing landscape costus around here, followed by Costus spicatus (which is a bit hardier than Barbatus) and then Costis curvibracteatus, which is dwarf. A lot of folks also make good use of C. woodsonii. The one you have is prettier than any of those.

[Walter John]

This frond didn't fall on the car but if fell close by. I propped it up there to give some scale of the size of the frond. I'm still not sure what this palm is. Some have described it as Rhopaloblaste and someone else said it looked like Euterpe. Can anyone tell for sure by looking at the frond?

Euterpe sp. dodge durango ?

That's not funny I know.

I love that ginger, quite spectacular.

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

Euterpe sp. dodge durango ?

That's not funny I know.

Yes it is

[Texeltropics]

Euterpe sp. dodge durango ?

That's not funny I know.

Yes it is

I just want to go to the airport and jump on a plane right to Costa Rica. I really want to visit some day.

I like to know the name of the ginger if anyone knows it.....would be wonderfull to get one for my gingercollection......

Edited November 18, 2008 by Texeltropics

[aussiearoids]

Most likely Costus guanaiensis , there are four forms of this species . Check Dave Skinners site ;

http://www.gingersrus.com/

Jeff looks like lots of seed set on the flower you posted , great and cheap way to share it with others .

The Costus are very easy to strike with stem cuttings as well .

[Texeltropics]

it doesnt look like a Costus guanaiensis to me...but I can be wrong about it...its so red!

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

Michael, do you know where the seeds are located and what they look like? I would be happy to collect some and share with people. Yesterday I dug up some rhizomes to send to someone and they are huge! In the future, it would be easier to send seed.

[aussiearoids]

Jeff , seeds are small but very obvious . Have cropped your pic and got one of my own to show .

Seems all of your pods are full , no doubt due to natural pollinators . Here in Aus. it is very rare to see seed set on any Costus , but recently I found a few on a select form . See the seeds bursting out of the fat pods on yours ?

And the one only fat pod on mine with a normal unpollinated one next to it .

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

Michael, thanks for the info! Does this mean the seeds are ready to harvest now? I'm not sure how to tell when they are mature.

[aussiearoids]

Jef , yes they look ready to harvest . The way the inflorescence has opened up , is usually a good sign the seeds are ready . Pick a few from the bottom . If the fruit is soft and bursts open easily when squeezed , its as ripe as needed .

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

Michael, thanks again. I will check today and see if I can collect some seeds. That is, if I can get out there! It rained so hard last night that it may be too muddy.

I will PM you and let you know if I get some seeds off it. I would be happy to send you some (Texeltropics too).

[Jeff Searle]

Jeff,

Just looking at the leaf is tough for an ID. Is the palm native to CR, or is it an exotic? Rhopaloblaste is not native to CR, but if there are indications that their in the forest and appear to be a native specie, Euterpe is a good chance.

Can you show us the entire palm? Maybe a flower inflor?

Jeff

[Texeltropics]

Michael, thanks again. I will check today and see if I can collect some seeds. That is, if I can get out there! It rained so hard last night that it may be too muddy.

I will PM you and let you know if I get some seeds off it. I would be happy to send you some (Texeltropics too).

Thanks Jeff...thats real kind!!!! I do have some gingerseeds to from few species so if youre interested let me know.

I have seed from

Renealmia cernua

Amomum subulatum

Hedychium densiflorum Assam Orange

Hedychium spicatum x coccineum Tara (not for sure if its tara) but its a nice ginger

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

Jeff,

Just looking at the leaf is tough for an ID. Is the palm native to CR, or is it an exotic? Rhopaloblaste is not native to CR, but if there are indications that their in the forest and appear to be a native specie, Euterpe is a good chance.

Can you show us the entire palm? Maybe a flower inflor?

Jeff

Hi Jeff,

There is only one of these palms on this property and it was planted around 10 years ago. There are no others in the forest around here that I know of. It's flowered a few times in the last couple years, but after flowering the inflo shrivels up, turns black, and falls off. The crownshaft is always a light tan color and the petioles are dark green. Here are a couple photos I took this afternoon. I can never seem to get any good photos of this palm, it is growing up into a tree and it's hard to get a good shot.

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

Jef , yes they look ready to harvest . The way the inflorescence has opened up , is usually a good sign the seeds are ready . Pick a few from the bottom . If the fruit is soft and bursts open easily when squeezed , its as ripe as needed .

Michael, you were right, they were ready to harvest. I went out there today and the pods had burst open and there was a pile of seeds laying in each of those cupped petals. I just scooped them out, there were lots of them. I will PM you when they are on their way.

Texeltropics, please send me your address in a PM and I will get some out to you too.

If anyone else is interested in some of these tiny ginger seeds, please PM me and let me know.

[Texeltropics]

I already have some babygingers from the seeds! I'm very happy with it...thanks again jeff

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

I'm happy they are sprouting for you!