Alpinias
Alpinias in general are not particularly easy to bloom, perhaps especially not in our climate. Variegated Alpinias are even harder to get to bloom.
You have probably already heard that they bloom on last year's growth. Except for a few species they will not bloom if they freeze back.
This unidentified Chinese Alpinia that Steve and I have is surprisingly top-hardy.
Pretty cool-looking foliage plant, anyway.
The following thread was started by Rob Wagner on December 30, 2001 at 2:23 am PST
Rob, Oh gosh, I never even thought about the flowers. I was mostly attracted to the foliage aspects and as a groundcover under my magnolia grandiflora. I have heard that the flowers are not that specular, but if it ever does bloom for me, it would be a thrill to see what kind of showy splash it makes. Yes, I knew about the flowering on the second-year growth. That's why today I made a minature greenhouse to protect it the rest of the winter.
This spring, it didn't grow real fast, but picked up some growth during the summer. It has held up to our cooler weather much better than I could have anticipated. Also the slugs didn't seem to bother mine. But I have read they benefit from a light application of palm fertilizer, with some extra potassium added. Overfeeding will result in rampant new shoot growth.
Sounds like your's might be subtropical. Do you know how tall your species' gets? Maybe it will be one of those giant monsters that has to be ten to twelve feet before it will flower. That would be a magnificent sight. Not to mention, creating a lush tropical atmosphere. Isn't that what we're all after?
Did the nursey give a hardiness zone?
The above followup was added by Roger Olympia on December 30, 2001 at 4:38 am PST.
Wish I knew for sure which Alpinia it is but there is some thrill in knowing that what was collected from the wild is not ID'd yet....from China via Camellia Forest as I recall.
Roger, hope your zone 9 and 10 stuff are doing well this winter....as Rob said, this particular Alpinia is clean green and no cold/cool season damage at all. I'm hoping to get some blooms this year as it is against a hot west facing cedar fence during the growing season and in the open shade most of the winter.
Unlike my Heronswood Hedychium "Assam Orange" which has turned yellow and essentially become a perennial for next year my Hedychium spicatum (as usual) and Hedychium greenii are still standing with no foliage damage at all. In fact my Hedychium greenii (beautiful maroon stems and leaf undersides) is trying to flower even now. The buds formed in the fall and have grown to blooming size. If no frost, perhaps I'll have a blooming "out of season".
The above followup was added by Steve in Portland z8b on December 31, 2001 at 10:06 pm PST.
So much for Alpinias [wink]. Oh well there are only a few that grow here. We'll see how we like the mystery Alpinia as we get to know it. I like it OK so far but I would not mind blossoms.
Mine is about 4 feet tall.
Steve, my H. spicatum is completely deciduous every year, even if there is no frost. It even goes deciduous indoors under artificial light. My strain gets about 6-7 feet tall, which I think is taller than Chinese strains.
The H. spicatums grown in the southeastern USA are Chinese. Mine came from northern India, probably as far north as Himachal Pradesh, as the supplier was Kashmiri. I say "was", because he was a minority Hindu shot by Moslem militants. Mine was one of his last shipments of seed.
H. greenei is evergreen--and alas a bit tender. Does not take shade as well as some of its cousins and was not happy in my shady garden.
H. densiflorum 'Assam Orange' is probably the best strain in cultivation. Surprisingly hardy for its provinence.
H. gardnerianum 'Tara' has flowers of a similar orange color, but larger. It is evergreen tho seems to survive freezing back if that happens. It's a good performer here, really quite spectacular.
Steve, do you have the mystery Cautleya from Vietnam via Heronswood?
I do, and oddly enough it too has NOT gone dormant! I do not know if that is its usual behavior, as I have only had it one year.
The above followup was added by Rob Wagner on January 01, 2002 at 4:05 am PST.
I Didn’t have much flower power this summer with any of my Ziniberaceae except for H. densiflorum 'Assam Orange', It was nice to have a smaller type blooming next to the larger ones. (It was in bloom at 2' when I bought it) The others were most likely from lack of bloom fertilizers.
H. densiflorum 'Assam Orange' came from Colvos Creek, and I think Michael said he got the starts from Tropic to Tropic in B.C.
H. coronarium is still evergreen, H. coccineum has some leaf damage from the early Dec. snow but still very much alive. I'm defiantly pushing their hardy limits on A. zerumbet ‘variegata’, but if it becomes a perennial, I will bring it in next winter as a houseplant.
Oh yea! I almost forgot I did buy (from Banana Tree), Alpinia purpurata (red ginger) and one costus that will go out this spring.
Hardy Chinese Alpinia..... Hmmm sounds interesting!!! Where is Camilla farms located?
Steve most of the z9-10 plants are doing great, some have 10 percent to no leaf damage. And some have bit the dust.
The above followup was added by Roger, Olympia , wa 8b on January 01, 2002 at 8:32 pm PST.
Rob,
I reread my earlier post and realized that I said that I had Hedychium spicatum...I am wrong it is H. cororarium that I have. It is in a very protected spot, seldom blooms but grows back from even severe freezes to make very healthy top growth by that growing season.
Happy New Year everyone!
Here's to no freezes!
The above followup was added by Steve in Portland z8b on January 01, 2002 at 10:52 pm PST.
Steve, H. coronarium isn't a particularly good performer here. You're a little further south but you mentioned that it "seldom blooms".
Sounds like you should be trying my H. spicatum. I've got a lot of seed so I will try germinating some for you.
It does not mind cool summers and can be expected to bloom every year. Only trouble I have with it is in really dry years.
The above followup was added by Rob Wagner on January 01, 2002 at 11:35 pm PST.
Thanks Rob....Heronswood's new catalogue lists some interesting Hedychiums....and...I ordered that Cautleya you mentioned in an earlier post. How has it performed for you?
The above followup was added by Steve in Portland z8b on January 03, 2002 at 4:08 pm PST.
Alpinia japonica may be one of the hardiest Alpinia around in cultivation. It only gets 2-3 feet and is at least root hardy to z8a where it flowers often, native to the southern Japanese islands, Taiwan, and Chinese mainland.......maybe Cistus Design has it.
The above followup was added by Roger, Olympia , wa 8b on January 03, 2002 at 10:44 pm PST.
Steve, the Cautleya has grown at a decent pace. It has not bloomed yet, but that is not surprising for its size. I might have trouble because it is probably wants more sun than I can give it.
The blossoms should be white and fragrant.
Roger, Alpinia japonica comes as both the size you mentioned, and as a dwarf. Neither one blooms readily. Even in the deep south. I've had it for many years; doesn't freeze back most years but it still never ever blooms. It's sort of a "ground-cover" Ginger!
As for your other question, Camellia Forest is located in North Carolina I think, but they ship mail order.
www.camforest.com
That Alpinia that both Steve and I have so far is about 4 feet tall, with broad and fairly sturdy leaves. IF I can get it to bloom I will post a photo.
The above followup was added by Rob Wagner on January 04, 2002 at 0:50 am PST.
For reminding me of Cautleya, and thanks for the website!
I thought you might like to know that Dyckia brevifolia, Haworthia fasciata, and a small Schefflera arboricola all make it in our snow with out protection, except for natural surrounding vegetation.
After the early December wet snowstorm I notice all were is good condition. Schefflera is now showing 10 percent leaf damage from the frost a week ago. It was protect that week.
Sadly my old H. fasciata that may it through 4 winters died this summer from to much water and shade, I forgot it and the weeds choked it out.
The above followup was added by Roger, Olympia , wa 8b on January 04, 2002 at 1:56 am PST.
Are there any US sources for Cautleya spicata or C. lutea plants. The Southeastern ginger nurseries nurseries don't grow them because of their heat sensitivity and the PNW mail order houses such as Greer Gardens seem to limit themselves to the Roscoa species.
The above followup was added by Mike,Marietta,SC,z8a on January 06, 2002 at 6:50 pm PST.
Sometimes--but unfortunately not this year--Thompson and Morgan have seed for this. Gingers are pretty easy from seed.
I used to have it, but I moved away from my old house and private garden for a year, and my tenants neglected it to death.
On rare occassions local nurseries have been known to have it. If I acquire it again I'll keep you in mind.
Roscoeas are FUSSY little things. They want to be in air-conditioned comfort in full sun (some of them are native to around 13,000 feet), and irrigated all summer.
I think I have maybe 4 species of them. Some are really tiny things that are easy to lose.
The above followup was added by Rob Wagner on January 07, 2002 at 2:45 am PST.