Roscoea cautleyoides
A really interesting perennial with orchid like lemon yellow flowers in early summer to mid-summer.
Belonging to the Ginger family, Zingiberaceae you could be forgiven for thinking it was a subtropical plant but it and its relatives are found in the mountainous regions of the Himalayas, China, Kashmir, and Vietnam growing in open woodland areas between 1200m and 5000m altitude. There are about 17 different species.
This species is found in Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces of China growing between 2000m and 3500 altitude. The predominant flower colour of R.Cautleoides is pale lemon yellow and other colours reported are Purple, white and pale pink.
The flower is a very complicated structure resembling and Orchid. Four of the “petals “are actually stamenoides (sterile stamen evolved to look like petals). Three true petals have joined together to make a tube which divides to make three lobes, one upright and two lateral lobes. A single functioning stamen has quite a long anther. This is all held together at the back by a strong tube shaped calyx. With this complicated structure obviously developed for insect pollination of the flowers there is still a considerable amount of seed produced each year.
The flowers are held aloft by strong pseudostems (false stems) which are actually leaves wrapped tightly around each other especially the lower leaves while the upper leaves do open to provide an oblong leaf blade. The roots are actually short rhizomes with tuberous roots attached.
It is robust and will grow in most garden soils and like to have a little shade and plenty of moisture which will see it flowering for up to five weeks. Planted in two different places in the garden they may flower a few weeks apart. Being naturally a woodland plant it will grow well there with a little shade only. Propagation is by very careful division. It sets quite a lot of viable seed which should be sown immediately without drying out.
There are different naturally occurring flower colours and the following cultivars have been named in the UK
There are a number of interspecies hybrids as well which have grown from naturally occurring seed especially where several species are grown together.
A form called Roscoea cautleoides 'Grandiflora' was renamed R. cautleyoides 'Kew Beauty' and has since been thought to be a hybrid between R. cautleyoides and R. humeana. It was also awarded an AGM by the RHS.
It was named Roscoea by English botanist James Edwin Smith in 1806 to honour his friend William Roscoe founder of the Liverpool Botanic Gardens (Remnants only remain at Croxteth Hall). He Roscoe, was interested in ‘ginger’ plants. This species R. cautleyoides is named for Sir Proby Robert Caurtley an Engineer in India and a paleontologist.
A collection of photos is available on Pinterest Roscoea cautleyoides
Belonging to the Ginger family, Zingiberaceae you could be forgiven for thinking it was a subtropical plant but it and its relatives are found in the mountainous regions of the Himalayas, China, Kashmir, and Vietnam growing in open woodland areas between 1200m and 5000m altitude. There are about 17 different species.
This species is found in Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces of China growing between 2000m and 3500 altitude. The predominant flower colour of R.Cautleoides is pale lemon yellow and other colours reported are Purple, white and pale pink.
The flower is a very complicated structure resembling and Orchid. Four of the “petals “are actually stamenoides (sterile stamen evolved to look like petals). Three true petals have joined together to make a tube which divides to make three lobes, one upright and two lateral lobes. A single functioning stamen has quite a long anther. This is all held together at the back by a strong tube shaped calyx. With this complicated structure obviously developed for insect pollination of the flowers there is still a considerable amount of seed produced each year.
The flowers are held aloft by strong pseudostems (false stems) which are actually leaves wrapped tightly around each other especially the lower leaves while the upper leaves do open to provide an oblong leaf blade. The roots are actually short rhizomes with tuberous roots attached.
It is robust and will grow in most garden soils and like to have a little shade and plenty of moisture which will see it flowering for up to five weeks. Planted in two different places in the garden they may flower a few weeks apart. Being naturally a woodland plant it will grow well there with a little shade only. Propagation is by very careful division. It sets quite a lot of viable seed which should be sown immediately without drying out.
There are different naturally occurring flower colours and the following cultivars have been named in the UK
- Abigail Bloom – Compact yellow with short stems
- Himalaya – Long stems with many yellow flowers
- Jeffery Thomas – Strong with pale yellow flowers
- Purple Queen – Tall early flowering, many purple flowers with yellow markings
There are a number of interspecies hybrids as well which have grown from naturally occurring seed especially where several species are grown together.
A form called Roscoea cautleoides 'Grandiflora' was renamed R. cautleyoides 'Kew Beauty' and has since been thought to be a hybrid between R. cautleyoides and R. humeana. It was also awarded an AGM by the RHS.
It was named Roscoea by English botanist James Edwin Smith in 1806 to honour his friend William Roscoe founder of the Liverpool Botanic Gardens (Remnants only remain at Croxteth Hall). He Roscoe, was interested in ‘ginger’ plants. This species R. cautleyoides is named for Sir Proby Robert Caurtley an Engineer in India and a paleontologist.
A collection of photos is available on Pinterest Roscoea cautleyoides