| The Gingers R Us shopping cart is closed for the summer. Please check back again in September 2010.Some Costus spiral gingers - my specialty - might be available on special request. For information contact me at dave@gingersrus.com. |
 Photo# 12081 taken 01 July, 2000 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12082 taken 23 July, 2000 by Dave Skinner at Fairchild Tropical Gardens, Miami, - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12078 taken 12 August, 2000 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12075 taken 29 July, 2001 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé leaf apex - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12077 taken 29 July, 2001 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12076 taken 29 July, 2001 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé ligule - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12079 taken 09 June, 2003 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12071 taken 13 July, 2003 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé flower bud shown in bract-bracteole-calyx - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12070 taken 13 July, 2003 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé leaf apex - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12072 taken 13 July, 2003 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé petiole and ligule - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12073 taken 13 July, 2003 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé stamen - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12074 taken 13 July, 2003 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé stamen - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12054 taken 13 July, 2003 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé bracteole - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12080 taken 13 July, 2003 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12069 taken 13 July, 2003 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé leaf abaxial side - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12068 taken 13 July, 2003 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé labellum with stamen - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12055 taken 13 July, 2003 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé bracts - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12056 taken 13 July, 2003 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé bracts - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12057 taken 13 July, 2003 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé bracts sequence - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12058 taken 13 July, 2003 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé bracteole and calyx - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12059 taken 13 July, 2003 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé calyx - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12060 taken 13 July, 2003 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé corolla lobes - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12061 taken 13 July, 2003 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé corolla lobes - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12062 taken 13 July, 2003 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé labellum - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12063 taken 13 July, 2003 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé labellum - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12064 taken 13 July, 2003 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé labellum - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12065 taken 13 July, 2003 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé labellum - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12066 taken 13 July, 2003 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé labellum - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12067 taken 13 July, 2003 by Dave Skinner at Le Jardin Ombragé labellum with stamen - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12841 taken 12 October, 2006 by Dave Skinner at Lyon Arboretum, Oahu, Hawaii - Costus varzearum |
 Photo# 12842 taken 12 October, 2006 by Dave Skinner at Lyon Arboretum, Oahu, Hawaii - Costus varzearum |
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CLICK HERE for detailed botanical description and identification key for this species. BUY THIS PLANT from GingersRus. PLANT FAMILY: Costaceae BOTANICAL NAME: Costus varzearum TYPE PLANT: perennial - HEIGHT: 3 ft (inches unless otherwise noted) - HABIT: - USES: BLOOMING: Season- Colors- Fragrance-No Profusion- USDA ZONES: 8 to HEAT TOLERANCE:- SOIL: Moisture- Fertility- pH- COMMON NAMES: SYNONYMS: GINGERSRUS CATALOG LISTING:  This Costus is fairly common and can be found on several mail order sites and at nurseries in the Deep South, although it is often incorrectly identified as Costus sanguineus.If you have a serious interest in Costus species, be sure to go to http://www.gingersrus.com/botanical/description.php where I have entered the detailed botanical descriptions and keys for Costus, mostly based on the work of Dr. P. J. M. Maas of the University of Utrecht. Most of the species of Costus are native to the neo-tropics, Central and South American rainforests. Unfortunately, they are often incorrectly identified in the horticultural trade. Costus varzearum is often sold as Costus sanguineus, which is not a valid species name at all. Costus varzearum is distinctive by its wavy leaves with purple undersides and dark green upper sides. The foliage is very attractive and tropical looking. It grows to about 5 feet tall in light shade to part sun. The flowers appear from early summer to fall on terminal inflorescenses with green bracts. They are a soft creamy yellow with bright red markings on the labellums. It can be planted in filtered shade to part sun (up to about 2 hours direct sun) in rich, moist, organic soil. It is reported hardy to zone 9 but may be a bit hardier. I have left it outdoors in my Tallahassee zone 8B garden and it has returned just fine. It is important not to keep the soil wet during dormancy, or the rhizomes will rot.  BOTANICAL NOTES: This is a valid neo-tropical Costus species. Specimen at NYBG Herbarium - http://www.nybg.org/bsci/hcol/vasc/Costaceae.html Image: Available at http://image.nybg.org/herbim/0611/ Name: Costaceae Costus varzearum Maas (Isotype) det. P. J. M. Maas, 1976. Image: Available Location: Brazil. Acre. Cruzeiro do Sul. Rio Jurua and Rio Moa. Igarapé Treize de Maio. Collector: P. J. M. Maas Pl2860 with K. Kubitzki, W. C. Steward, J. F. Ramos, W. S. Pinheiro & J. F. Lima 12 May 1971 Description: Herb to 1 m tall; leaves purple beneath; bracts green, corolla yellow, labellum yellow, tinged red. Fertile. Habitat: Publication: Acta Bot. Neerl. 24(5-6): 471. 1975. Other: NY Specimen ID: 320356 TAXONOMY NOTES BY BRIAN MIDDLEDITCH - Costus varzearum P.J.M. Maas: Costus varzearum Maas was first described by Maas in Flora Neotropica 18. I have a copy of that book, and just checked the spelling. It really is varzearum. Maas made the comment, "I have named this species C. varzearum, as it only inhabits the várzea forests of Brazil." LISTING AT: National Botanic Garden of Belgium (from Brazil ) IMAGE AT FAIRCHILD TROPICAL GARDEN WEBSITE of Costus varzearum Specimen at historical botanical collections in the Swedish Museum of Natural History. HORTICULTURAL NOTES: GAINESVILLE TREE FARM - C. varzearum (3') Dk. green lvs. "/burgundy underneath, yellow trumpet flowers PLANTATION GARDENS - Grows to about 3 feet. Another good one for that low growth habit. The unique characteristic of this one is the dark green leaves with a strong burgundy color on the back. Makes this a really showy plant. The flowers are yellow and trumpet shaped. PICTURE OF FOLIAGE STOKES TROPICALS - A great looking medium size ginger growing to 3-4 ft in med sun, native of Brazil, very nice looking foliage plant with dark green leaves with maroon undersides. Produces small attractive tubular flowers that have red and yellow throats. Prob zone 9. BOTANICAL GARDENS: (Gingers Only - Listing of locations where this plant can be seen.) Atlanta Botanical Garden, Fairchild Tropical Gardens, Coral Gables (Miami), Florida, USA Harry P. Leu Gardens, Linnean Herbarium, Swedish Museum of Natural Histo, Sweden Mercer Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, Houston, Texas, USA National Botanic Garden of Belgium, Belgium New York Botanical Garden, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK |
