General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Soil pH Preferences: Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 7a -17.8 °C (0 °F) to -15 °C (5 °F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 11
Plant Height: 6 to 8 feet
Plant Spread: 2 to 3 feet
Fruit: Showy
Edible to birds
Flowers: Showy
Flower Color: White
Other: Attractive red bracts bear white flowers that resemble crepe paper.
Bloom Size: 2"-3"
Flower Time: Late summer or early fall
Underground structures: Rhizome
Uses: Cut Flower
Will Naturalize
Wildlife Attractant: Birds
Resistances: Humidity tolerant
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Stem
Division
Containers: Suitable in 3 gallon or larger
Needs excellent drainage in pots
Miscellaneous: Goes Dormant

Image
Common names
  • Crepe Ginger
  • Cane Reed
Botanical names
  • Accepted: Hellenia speciosa
  • Synonym: Costus speciosus
  • Synonym: Cheilocostus speciosus

Photo Gallery
Location: Sumatera Indonesia
Date: 2017-11-12
Location: Mercer arboretum 
Date: 2018-10-06
Location: my garden, Sarasota FL
Date: 2014-08-01
Opens new flowers each day, and this one has bloomed for over a m
Location: Mercer arboretum 
Date: 2018-10-06
Location: Mercer arboretum 
Date: 2018-10-06
Location: Mercer arboretum 
Date: 2018-10-06
Location: My patio zone 9 Louisiana
Date: 2022-08-02
My 1st blooms on this 4' potted plant
Location: Mercer Arboretum 
Date: 2018-10-06
Location: my garden, Sarasota FL
Date: 2014-06-11
Location: my garden, Sarasota FL
Date: 2014-06-12
Showing the spiral growth habit of this ginger
Location: Costa Rica
Location: Keanae Arboretum, Maui, Hawaii
photo by Forest & Kim Starr
Location: Keanae Arboretum, Maui, Hawaii
photo by Forest & Kim Starr
Location: Southwest Florida
Date: July 2012
Location: Southwest Florida
Date: July 2012
Location: Sumatera Indonesia
Date: 2017-11-12
greener stem type

photo credit: H. Zell
Location: my garden, Sarasota FL
Date: 2014-06-11
This spiral ginger has nice sized flowers and blooms well in part
Location: Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Date: March
credit: Prenn

photo credit: H. Zell
Plant Events from our members
tabbycat On March 15, 2024 Plant emerged
I cut dead stalks to dirt & saw new growth for 2024
tabbycat On April 25, 2023 Plant emerged
Dies back but found a new stalk peeping out todat. So Happy . It got 5' last year in a pot but boy those flowers Summer to Fall
tabbycat On June 25, 2022 Bloomed
Found a bud starting in center of 1st 4' stem.
tabbycat On May 14, 2022 Obtained plant
Never heard of it but looked interesting & free as a trade meeting by Blackham Cols
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