Ginger lily, White spiral costus
Costus afer

Family: Costaceae

What it is like

A herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 3 m tall. It has rhizomes. The stems are erect and slightly woody at the base. They are twisted in a spiral. The leaves are oblong to sword shaped and 25 cm long by 7 cm wide. The base is rounded and they taper to the tip. The leaves are based in spirals. They are smooth above and pale and hairy underneath. The flowers are in a round head up to 7 cm long. The flowers are tube shaped and 5 cm across. The fruit is a round capsule. There are many black shiny seeds.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in woodland, savannah woodland and palm groves. It needs to be in a sunny position. It grows up to 1,200 m above sea level. Cairns BG.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa (country/location of origin), Angola, Asia, Australia, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo DR, East Africa, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Kenya, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Tanzania, West Africa

How it is used for food

The rhizome is occasionally used as a spice or flavouring.

Edible parts

Leaves, vegetable, rhizome - spice, root, pith, stem

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from cuttings and division of the rhizome.

Its other names

Local names

Gododje-sato, Gogodje-suto, Kinyampuli, Kostus spiral putih, Makenia, Mankene, Matumba tumba, Mugahigahi, Nsangalavu, Nsangalavua, Nsangalavula, Rum-rum, Spiral ginger, Tumfafiyan-kada

Synonyms

Costus anomocalyx K. Schum.; Costus insularis A. Chev. [Invalid]; Costus littoralis K. Schum.; Costus oblitterans K. Schum.; Costus prodigiosus A. Chev.; Costus pterometra K. Schum.;