PLANT FAMILY: Costaceae BOTANICAL NAME: Costus erythrophyllus 'Silver Leaf' FORMAL SCIENTIFIC NAME: STATUS : CONTINENT: Neotropical SYNONYMS: BOTANICAL NOTES: Plant has strongly plicate leaves with purplish undersides, long lobed ligules, glabrous throughout. It is very similar to the plant I refer to as C. erythrophyllus 'Grey Form' except that the upper side of the leaves are more greenish than grey. It is different from the common form of C. erythrophyllus by being taller growing and having very strongly plicate (pleated) leaves. The origin is unknown but the first place I saw it was at June Stagg's Bear Creek Farms in Houston. I received it from Bob Campos in Houston and he said he purchased it in Houston but I do not know where. Tim Chapman told me this is not the same plant known as 'Silver Leaf' but he did not have any photos or other information as to the true 'Silver Leaf' plant, and may have said that only based on the fact the the leaves are not really very silvery in appearance unless the light strikes the plicate leaves in a certain way. Three other specimens I have seen appear to be the same or similar plant. One was seen at Atlanta Botanical Garden and the other was in the collections of John Banta. It appears to be the same plant that is in the collections at Lyon Arboretum in Hawaii under Lyon 2003.0121, received from Alan Carle. Cultivar Description: This form of C. erythrophyllus is apparently named for the silvery sheen when the deeply plicate leaves are seen under certain lighting conditions. The leaf color is a medium green. This cultivar is similar to 'Grey Ghost' except for the leaf color, the more deeply plicate leaves, the stems which are green except at the base, and the deeply lobed ligules which are slightly longer at 25-30 mm. The plant grows to about 1 1/2 meters tall and is glabrous. The bracts have long, leafy appendages and the flowers are white with red stripes. Cultivar Registry Photo at http://www.gingersrus.com/Registry/Costus_SilverLeaf.jpg GINGERSRUS CATALOG LISTING: ![]() ![]() |