Is this a ginger?

I posted this photo in the plant ID forum and they sent me over here.

Here is the correspondence tigerlily123 and I exchanged:

I went on another jungle photo shoot this morning - the leaves are very hairy/fuzzy and the yellow flower has a butterfly right down deep inside it - in fact all of these plants I saw today had butterflies inside.

looks like some type of costus ginger

You're probably right - but I have googled costus ginger and there are a LOT of types - this one has long very furry leaves and most of the ones I have seen on the websites have smooth leaves or the leaves aren't the right shape. Thanks so much for pointing me in the right direction. I am beginning to feel like a botanic Sherlok Holmes :-)

the furry leaf is weird for a costus-but that bloom sure looks like one! Post it in the ginger forum and see if anyone there knows what it is.

So - here I am. I do have other photos if necessary. I am a total newbie as far as any type of plants are concerned - not just ginger. I joined DG to help me identify the flowers, plants and insects I am posting on my online gallery - I am an artist - not a botanist :-) Everybody is so knowledgeable and has been so helpful.

Carol

My artwork is here:

http://www.pbase.com/carol_muse_skinner

Wow - 9 views in about 3 hours and the case hasn't been solved yet :-)

Carol

Carol,

How tall is your ginger? And does the stem/trunk spiral? I doubt I can help, but here's another great resource : http://www.gingersrus.com./

I checked out your gallery and really dig your abstracts, if you get a chance you might want to check this out ;) Welcome to DG! http://davesgarden.com/place/t/750754/

I FOUND IT!!!!

http://www.gingersrus.com./

It's a Costus villosissimus

Dave said: "In May 2006, I saw hundreds of these plants in their native habitat in the tropical rainforests of Costa Rica."

Costa Rica is out neighbor - and we have them growing wild in out rainforests too.

I'm thrilled - thank you so much for your help.

Carol

This message was edited Jul 23, 2007 1:57 PM

I never cease to be amazed when I actually can help someone, it really is a pretty ginger.

I see you are from Clemmons - we lived in Hickory for two years in the late 80's and my husband David worked for Young Phillips in Clemmons - they no longer exist I am told - bought out ot something.

WOW! Talk about a small world, and now you're in Panama. Plenty of folks from NC don't know where Clemmons is, including myself until we moved here 3 years ago. LOL, I bet you miss all the bustling excitement!

Yes it is a small world isn't it - what are the chances that someone living in Panama would meet someone living in Clemmons and most people don't even know where Clemmons is!

If you're interested I have posted my digital manipulation of the Costus villosissimus here:

http://www.pbase.com/carol_muse_skinner/flowers

Click on the thumbnails for a larger image.

Carol

Cool, Carol, I also love the orchid one, very nice.

So you found that ginger on the side of the road? I wish I lived somewhere like that...lol....course, for once I don't have to tell you , you actually know. I had another dger dmail me saying she was from here and how much it had changed. There is a lot of development (which I just can't even begin to tell you how much I love...lol) but other than that, I don't think there's much to it. Winston-Salem kinda went through a period in the 90's of growth, which surely has slowed down.

But it's pretty quiet here, and I can live with that :) And make sure you check out the artist I am most recently amazed by, The Great Livingroom Johnston: http://davesgarden.com/place/t/750754/

Oh - I forgot to say - I did - I googled him - lots of sites to check out - got to go back - I saw some really cool artwork.

Pretty talented cat. I'm sure you have some interesting artists in Panama as well.

Carol, I just stumbled in here. Tell us more about your art. Are these paintings? Digital art or what? I am TOTALLY impressed.

Betty