Red Tower Ginger (Costus barbatus)

[@Apollo_Blaze]

Hi Randy...love this video...I have a rather large area on the side of the house where I am going to plant this beauty soon, I have one already blooming in a pot and can't wait to let it loose in the ground...I am in zone 9b too.....so glad to watch this awesome video on it...Thanks!!

[@chichi53100]

Hola Randy!!!! Vivo en el norte de Argentina y tambien la tengo a la planta,pero desde hace poco tiempo y creció muchísimo,pero aún no florece. Gracias por la info que diste. Juro que no sabía que tenía tantas propiedades. Gracias. Saludos desde Catamarca,Argentina.

[@annadriggers9503]

Hi Randy, I have a few Costus and I'm in Southeast, Georgia. Mine are in full sun, but has never bloomed only the African Princess has. Do you think I should move them to the part to full shade area? Thanks!

[@McDorkify]

I'm trying to identify a ginger I saw in a greenhouse recently, and this looks like it, but the reason I want it so badly is the soft, velvety feel of the leaves. Does this one feel velvety?

[@McDorkify]

I actually just found your website and you mention the underside of the leaves being soft! Seems like this is what I was looking for, but can you confirm? And out of curiosity, have you ever seen it variegate?

[@richardmyers9609]

No not really

[@alexpesina6773]

I love the form and foliage of this plant. The flowers are nice but I live in zone 8b. I already have some rare gingers that stay pretty much evergreen underneath my large weeping live oak. My current gingers do flower and occasionally get a little leafy damage on out coldest nights but they rarely die back to the ground. Do you think this Costus Barbatus would be at the least root hardy in my zone 8b?

[@Sheikyerbouti8]

Yes probably root hardy there. My mom has one growing and blooming in her yard in Oakland CA. Technically it is zone 9, so it does not see much freezing temps (some), but it gets prolonged temps below 55 degrees. Much colder than here in Tampa FL. Getting blooms where you are will be challenging, but these are pretty tough too. I encourage you to try. Just throw a sheet over it on freeze nights.

[@nacampbell]

Thanks for the video, I live in Queensland, Australia....sub tropical, and they grow very well here....wanted to know how to care for mine... when you say they are “heavy feeders”, what do you recommend?

[@shayadarwish1201]

I live in north west new jersey, its early spring, I have the bulbs, but i need to know when i can plant them.

[@Sheikyerbouti8]

This plant does not really go through a true dormancy so they should not be stored as bare root bulbs.

[@juandavidquiros3521]

Is it the same red ginger used to cook?

[@lewisarnold4627]

If you use them as cut flowers do you prune the entire stalk?

[@Sheikyerbouti8]

Yeah, that one isn't going to grow anymore anyway.

[@asupremum1246]

I live in southern Florida and just got cuttings of this plant. I'm wondering if I'm better off sticking the cuttings in the ground or starting them in a pot. I notice somethings do better if started directly in the ground and other things if first started in a pot. If they rot easily they'd be better in the ground for me.

[@Sheikyerbouti8]

These are tough as nails. Either way will work with this speies, but as a rule of thumb, I recommend growing a plant out a bit before planting in the ground.

[@asupremum1246]

@@Sheikyerbouti8 , thank you for the vote of confidence!

[@Green-xq2tw]

How would I purchase one?

[@spazzychalk]

What is the Latin of the species you said the botanists are insisting it is?

[@Sheikyerbouti8]

Costus comosus var. barkeri

[@myuniversedna9801]

Yeah... it's really beautiful but does the root is the same as cooking ginger??

[@Sheikyerbouti8]

No, the rhizome is not edible, but the yellow flowers are, and they are delicious.

[@antoniomonte8789]

Can i grow this baby here in Casoria zone 9b with no protection

[@Sheikyerbouti8]

Possibly. My mom, has one in Oakland CA that blooms for her. That climate is very similar to yours.

[@antoniomonte8789]

@@Sheikyerbouti8 great,i just need to water it a lot if in summer

[@Vogeln]

Will that thrive in Zone 9b? I live in Sarasota.

[@Sheikyerbouti8]

Yes. Very much. I'm in Tampa

[@Vogeln]

Thank you.

[@tingsfamily4730]

I bought this ginger a few weeks ago. Should you just put the root in the soil or should I put it in the water first? I put them in the soil and the root is not growing anything yet.

[@Sheikyerbouti8]

Yes plant in soil, just under the surface. It will send up new shoots eventually.

[@j121212100]

Looks like Big Bird to me.