WorldFloraDB - Costus spiralis

Characteristics

Plants 1-2 m. tall, essentially glabrous throughout, the stem somewhat spiral; leaves broadly obovate-oval, abruptly subcaudate-acuminate, base rather obscurely subcordate-auriculate, 12-25 cm. long, 4-8 cm. broad, very shortly petiolate; inflorescence closely set amongst the upper reduced leaves, very broadly ovoid, 2-5 cm. long; bracts unappendaged, broadly ovate, 1.5-2.0 cm. long, deep red, glabrous; calyx 0.5-0.6 cm. long, broadly 3-dentate, red; ovary 0.4 cm. long; corolla 2.0-2.5 cm. long, deep red, the stamen and labellum about equal.

More

A herb. It grows 3.5 m tall. It has rhizomes. The stems are slightly woody at the base. They are twisted into spirals. The leaves are narrowly oval and 8-43 cm long by 5-14 cm wide. They taper to a short tip and the base is rounded. They can be smooth or hairy on both surfaces. The flowers are in an oval head 4-11 cm long by 2-5 cm wide. The bracts are broadly oval and purple to red. The flowers are tube shaped and 6 cm long. They are pink to red. The fruit is an oval capsule 1.5 cm long. It is pink and has many black seeds.

Life form	perennial
Growth form	herb
Growth support	free-standing
Foliage retention	evergreen
Sexuality	hermaphrodite
Pollination	-
Spread	-
Mature width (meter)	-
Mature height (meter)	2.25 - 2.75
Root system	rhizome
Rooting depth (meter)	-
Root diameter (meter)	-
Flower color	-
Blooming months	-
Fruit color	-
Fruiting months	-
Nitrogen fixer	-
Photosynthetic pathway	c3

Environment

It is a tropical plant. It grows in rainforest and marshy areas up to 1,200 m above sea level.

Light
Soil humidity
Soil texture
Soil acidity	-
Soil nutriment	-
Hardiness (USDA)

Usage

The buds at least of cv 'strawberry bud' are edible.

Uses	medicinal
Edible	fruits
Therapeutic use	Tumor (unspecified)
Human toxicity	-
Animal toxicity	-

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seeds, cuttings of from the rhizomes.

Mode	seedlings
Germination duration (days)	-
Germination temperacture (C°)	-
Germination luminosity	-
Germination treatment	-
Minimum temperature (C°)	1
Optimum temperature (C°)	-
Size	-
Vigor	-
Productivity	-