Roscoea purpurea

Roscoea are members of the ginger family that grow at high altitudes in the Himalayan mountains. They are much hardier than many other gingers and will grow quite happily in UK gardens. 

 

Roscoea purpurea as the name suggests has large rich purple flowers, although there is some variation of colour. Notable exceptions include 'Wisley Amethyst' which has purple flowers streaked in white and the recently discovered 'Red Gurka' a brick red form and an exceptional colour break. The combination of different forms has resulted in some beautiful hybrids with flowers which rather unusually combine reds and purples. The breeding of these hybrids is still in its infancy and it would seem that there are still a lot more interesting variations to come.

 

When growing Roscoea purpurea you need to think of where they come from. Place in a sunny position like an alpine slope or in partial shade like the edge of a Himalayan forest. As in a mountain slope the soil needs to be free draining so incorporate lots of grit when planting. The soil  also needs to be water retentive so add lots of organic matter just like the litter layer of a forest. Plant the rhizomes deep (at least 10cm below the surface) this protects them from the surface of the soil freezing during winter.

 

Supplied as rhizomes from March 2018.