Bitter cane, Red button cane, Scarlet spiral ginger
Costus woodsonii
Family: Costaceae
What it is like
A herb. It grows 1-2 m high. It spreads by underground stems or rhizomes. The stem spirals. The leaves are shiny and 15 cm long. The base is heart shaped. The flowers form a pine like cone at the top. There are thick red bracts overlapping each flower. The fruit are spongy and white with black seeds.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows near the beach on the Caribbean side in Costa Rica. In Brisbane Botanical Gardens.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, Central America (country/location of origin), Columbia, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Marquesas, Nicaragua, Pacific, Panama, SE Asia, Singapore, South America, Tuvalu
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Flowers
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Costus oranye