Tropicals & Tender Perennials: Tropical Garden # 101, 1 by dyzzypyxxy

dyzzypyxxy wrote:
Candela, I have that same costus, and same experience. They were under a huge old oak tree, and never bloomed until we had the tree thinned so they have more light. Now they put up new shoots and bloom every spring.

They're really easy to propagate - and make a really nice pot plant if you're inclined. See picture. This one roves around according to where I need a filler, and I have lots of filtered sun areas for it. It has bloomed on almost all the tall stems this spring already. The squirrels found a couple of the flowers rather tasty, because I had it propped against the bole of a palm tree, but otherwise, nothing bothers it. Needs a new pot, though . . .

If I let the ones under the oak tree go, they bend over to the ground and root themselves.

Now Prita has sent me starts of a couple more kinds.