Cautleya

Collected in northern India by the intrepid plant hunting duo of Bleddyn and Sue Wynn-Jones, this species offers some midsummer exotica with yellow flowers emerging from soft red calyces on 2' stems. Yet another hardy-for-us species in the Zingiberaceae that we are enamored with.

We are smitten by the hardy gingers which we can grow and flower in our cold pocket garden and Cautleya is a genus that does just that. This species is a graceful member of the genus and ranges from Bhutan to Thailand. This collections hails from Vietnam and is often found growing on rocks, trees or rotting logs. This has the classic presentation for the species with clear yellow flowers and red calyces. We suggest mulching for winter.

A collection from Nepal deemed distinct by Crug Farm Plants in Wales. From terminal bud cones in mid to late summer, yellow-orange flowers spout from prominent red bracts. The foliage is red-tinged underneath and is held on dark stems. Clumps nicely and the species as a whole is of elegant presentation. Moist, rich and mulch if winter is cold.

We love this plant. One of the first of the hardy Zingiberaceae to bloom and the contrast of reddish bracts and orange-yellow flowers plus the underside of the leaves blushed in red.....mmmmm. We're guessing on cathcartii 'cause it isn't spicata or gracilis. Moist organic soil.

Cool member of the true Ginger family, this has torches of soft yellow flowers held above the corn-like foliage. Blooms reliably here unlike a lot of it's kin and we see flowers in July to August in our shade garden. Adds an easy tropical look. This is sometimes seen offered as C. lutea and C. gracilis. Rich soil that stays moist but isn't mucky or waterlogged. Likes a looser. airy soil and best to mulch in fall. A very easy plant which will self-sow when happy which in turn makes us happy.

Cautleya have proved to be excellent plants for the garden here and one of the best is this Wynn-Jones collection from the Darjeeling area in northern India. Good red bracts hold yellow flowers in a tropical embrace during August into September in your temperate garden. Part sun to light shade in rich moist soil. Mulch in winter in case of arctic annoyance.

A collection by Daniel Winkler in Tibet of this demure little true ginger relative. We've always liked this species and saw it growing as an epiphyte on Mt Japfu in Nagaland. Late to start growing in spring, this will produce small yellow flowers from reddish sheaths. Hardy here especially with mulch. Moist.

This is an attention-getter and a performer. A surprisingly hardy true Ginger relative from northern India, this has survived our winters here in western Washington for the last 20 years with no problem. We simply mulch if we get worried. The leaves are tinted maroon underneath and the torch of dark yellow flowers coming out of red bracts in late July and August is an exceptional bit of the tropics. The 'Robusta' form is a bit taller than the typical run of the species and can reach 3' tall. A rich, moist soil that drains in a little sun to bright shade is best. We see this grown in some of the most notable gardens here in the NW which never surprises us. .