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Costus curvibracteatus

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Family: Costaceae
Genus: Costus (KOS-tus) (Info)
Species: curvibracteatus (kurv-ih-brak-tee-AH-tus) (Info)

2 members have or want this plant for trade.

Category:
Tropicals and Tender Perennials

Height:
36-48 in. (90-120 cm)

Spacing:
36-48 in. (90-120 cm)

Hardiness:
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)

Sun Exposure:
Partial to Full Shade

Danger:
Unknown - Tell us

Bloom Color:
Orange
Red-Orange

Bloom Time:
Late Spring/Early Summer
Mid Summer
Late Summer/Early Fall
Mid Fall
Late Fall/Early Winter

Foliage:
Evergreen
Deciduous
Herbaceous
Velvet/Fuzzy-Textured

Other details:
Requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out between waterings

Soil pH requirements:
Unknown - Tell us

Patent Information:
Non-patented

Propagation Methods:
Unknown - Tell us

Seed Collecting:
Unknown - Tell us

Click thumbnail
to view:
By xyris

By xyris

By Michaelp

By flfwrs

Profile:

3 positives
No neutrals
No negatives

Gardeners' Notes:

Rating	Author	Comment
Positive	gingersrus	On Jul 9, 2006, gingersrus from Tallahassee, FL wrote: Only the top two photos are of the plant known in horticulture as Costus curvibracteatus - the others below are Costus scaber or something else. Also, unfortunately, this is another Costus that was incorrectly identified in the nursery trade many years ago. It is actually Costus productus - not Costus curvibracteatus. The real Costus curvibracteatus looks quite different and I have never seen it in cultivation in the US. I saw it in habitat in Costa Rica on the northeastern flank of the Talamanca Mountains just last May and I have one small plant started.
Positive	xyris	On Jan 19, 2004, xyris from Sebring, FL (Zone 9b) wrote: This extremely interesting Costus has been flowering constantly now for over one year, so I guess it is flowering year round for me. It is not as happy with the cooler winter temperatures, and seems to stop putting out new shoots when nights fall below 10 degrees C (50 degrees F). But existing shoots are still flowering, and are about 1 meter tall. I suspect that the above ground shoots would die back if we had a freeze.
Positive	Michaelp	On Nov 8, 2003, Michaelp from Orange Springs, FL (Zone 8b) wrote: I like it-- very nice- produces red cones with white crepe papper like translucent blooms with yellow centers-root is used to make medicines and to eat.

Regional...

This plant has been said to grow in the following regions:

Boyette, Florida
Fruitville, Florida
Inverness, Florida
Sebring, Florida
Yankeetown, Florida

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