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Ginger - 'Red Spiral' (Costus barbatus) 1G

$25.00
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Exotic spiral stems with edible blooms — a showpiece for subtropical gardens
In stock: 10 available
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Ginger - 'Red Spiral' (Costus barbatus) 1G
Product Details

🌺 ‘Red Spiral’ Ginger (Costus barbatus) – A Spiraling Subtropical Showstopper

Looking for a plant that blends ornamental beauty with edible surprise? The ‘Red Spiral’ Ginger is your subtropical masterpiece — its spiraling emerald foliage, velvet undersides, and radiant red cones crowned with edible yellow flowers make it a centerpiece in any garden. Both captivating to the eye and delightful to the palate, this rare gem will transform your space into a tropical oasis.


🌿 Quick Facts

Category Details
Botanical Name Costus barbatus
Plant Type Perennial ornamental & edible ginger
Size at Sale Ships in 1-gallon container
Mature Height & Width 6–10 ft tall, 3–4 ft wide
USDA Zones 9–11
Sun Requirements Full sun to partial shade
Cold Hardiness Sensitive below 40°F
Growth Habit Upright, spiral stems with clumping base
Spacing 3–4 ft apart

🌸 Flowers & Culinary Value

  • Appearance: Brilliant scarlet-red bracts (“cones”) with bright yellow edible flowers.
  • Flavor Profile: Sweet, lightly gingery with a crisp refreshing bite.
  • Harvest Season: Blooms and produces edible flowers mainly in warm months in Florida and subtropical climates.
  • Uses: Perfect as an exotic garnish for salads, tropical drinks, or edible landscaping.

🌱 Top Benefits & Uses

  • Culinary: Flowers are edible and lightly sweet — a unique garnish in tropical cuisine.
  • Ornamental: Spiraled foliage and showy red cones add drama to gardens and landscape borders.
  • Cultural Significance: Native to Central America, where Mayan people valued it both for beauty and symbolic prosperity.
  • Wildlife Benefits: Flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
  • Industry Uses: Popular in tropical floristry for long-lasting cut flowers.

🌼 Ornamental & Container Gardening Notes

  • In the Landscape: Excellent as a focal specimen, tropical hedge, or grouped in ornamental beds.
  • Containers: Thrives in large decorative pots on patios or lanais. Keep in rich, well-drained soil.
  • Indoors: Can be grown indoors in bright light with consistent moisture, creating a striking houseplant.

🌿 Best Practices for Planting & Care

Where to Plant:

  • Choose sun to partial shade with well-drained, fertile soil.
  • Great for tropical-style gardens, courtyards, and poolside landscaping.

Planting Method:

  • Dig a hole only slightly wider than the pot, at the same depth.
  • Backfill with compost + native soil.
  • Follow GreenDreams’ “High & Tight” method: Planting Video
  • Avoid burying the base too deep.

Watering & Mulching:

  • Water daily at first; reduce to weekly after establishment.
  • Mulch with hardwood chips, keeping mulch away from the base.

Seasonal Maintenance:

  • Sensitive to frost — protect or bring containers indoors in cooler climates.
  • Cut back old stems in spring to encourage fresh growth.

⚠️ Cautions

  • Cold Sensitivity: Cannot withstand prolonged temperatures below 40°F.
  • Not Deer Resistant: May be browsed in rural settings.
  • No Known Toxicity: Safe for humans; flowers edible.

🌟 Is This Plant Right for You?

✅ Ideal For:

  • Gardeners in Florida, the Southeast, and subtropical regions
  • Culinary creatives and tropical collectors
  • Landscapes needing a dramatic, edible focal plant

❌ Not Ideal For:

  • Those in zones colder than 9 without frost protection
  • Gardeners seeking drought-tolerant, low-maintenance plants

❓ FAQ

Q: Can I grow ‘Red Spiral’ Ginger in a container?

Yes — it thrives in large pots with rich, well-drained soil. Move indoors during frost.

Q: How cold-hardy is this ginger?

It’s best for USDA zones 9–11 and should be protected below 40°F.

Q: Do the flowers really taste like ginger?

Yes — the bright yellow flowers have a subtle sweetness with a hint of gingery spice.

Q: How do I make it bloom more?

Give consistent water, partial sun, and rich organic soil. Remove old stems to promote new flowering growth.

Q: Does it spread aggressively?

No — it grows in clumps and is easy to maintain.


📦 Shipping & Handling

  • Best Shipped To: Florida, Southeastern US, and Texas.
  • Nationwide Shipping: Available, but buyers in northern/western US may experience transit stress. Allow recovery time after arrival.
  • Heat/Cold Disclaimer: Buyer discretion advised during extreme seasonal weather. GreenDreams ships Mondays via UPS Ground from Florida.

🏡 Local Pickup

📍 Available at:

GreenDreams Nursery & Farm

18709 US Hwy. 41, Spring Hill, FL 34610

Open Tues–Fri 9 AM–5 PM | Sat 8 AM–3 PM

🌿 Come see what’s fresh in person!


🛒 Ready to Add Tropical Magic to Your Garden?

Order your ‘Red Spiral’ Ginger today and bring edible beauty into your subtropical oasis!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION BEFORE PURCHASING LIVE PLANTS:
*Please be advised that our online store selections are NOT available for pickup at our retail location in Spring Hill, Florida.

Inventory for our online store is located at a separate facility and are priced and handled exclusively for packaging & shipping.
Click here to learn more about our Spring Hill, FL retail nursery location
, including countless more nursery selections ready for pickup - larger sizes and wider variety of plants not suitable for nationwide delivery.
 

1. Shipping Stress: Transportation can be stressful for plants, particularly when they spend several days in a confined, dark environment. It’s common for plants to experience leaf drop during this period. Rest assured, most plants typically recover quickly and thrive with minimal aftercare. However, some may need extra attention, love, and care, requiring appropriate watering and exposure to gentle light post-unboxing.
 

2. Potential Physical Damage: Despite our dedicated efforts to ensure that your plants are securely packaged, they may incur damage during shipping and handling by UPS. Rest assured, our shipping team is committed to packing your selections with utmost care and precision to minimize any potential harm.

  • For significant box damage, please reach out to UPS within 30 days to initiate a claim.

  • For minor damages, such as a broken branch or stem, we advise allowing the plant time to recover and regenerate with proper care and attention.
     

3. Long-Distance Shipping Considerations: Orders shipped over long distances, particularly to the western US, may take 3 - 5 business days to arrive due to various factors, including agricultural inspections in Arizona, California, and Texas. Such extended transit times can be particularly challenging for tender, young plants, affecting their quality due to prolonged confinement.

  • We take additional measures during packaging to facilitate a swift recovery of the plants upon unboxing.

  • Initial extra care and attention might be required over the first few weeks post-transport.
     

For further guidance, kindly review our detailed policies on returns and refunds, as well as our comprehensive plant care guide. We appreciate your understanding and patience in nurturing your new plants.

 

🌿 Important Shipping Information

Please take a moment to review our shipping protocols designed to ensure your plants arrive in optimal condition.

  • Countdown Clock: At the top of our online store, you'll notice a countdown clock. This tool helps communicate our weekly shipping schedule, providing clarity on when you can expect your orders to be dispatched.

  • Shipping Schedule: Our nursery, located in the heart of Central Florida, ships orders once weekly, every Monday. This is a strategic decision to prevent packages from being stationary over the weekends, ensuring that our plants travel as swiftly as possible across the country, even reaching as far as California.

  • Shipping Method: At present, we offer ground shipping rates to meet various needs while maintaining the well-being of our plants during transit.

  • Our Dedicated Team: We are a boutique nursery with a passionate team. Our members wear many hats, contributing to shipping, nursery operations, and engaging in valuable local projects. As we blossom and expand, rest assured that enhancing and streamlining our processes remains a priority to serve you better

 

 

 

Terms and Conditions for Purchasing Live Plants

1. Understanding of Shipping Stress

By purchasing live plants from our store, the customer acknowledges that transportation can be stressful for plants. It is common for plants to undergo leaf drop or experience other temporary issues during shipping. However, it is understood that most plants recover quickly with adequate care and attention post-shipping.

2. Awareness of Potential Physical Damage

Customers acknowledge that despite our best efforts in packaging, there may be occurrences of damage during shipping and handling. For substantial damages to the package, customers agree to contact UPS within 30 days to initiate a claim.

3. Acknowledgement of Long-Distance Shipping Considerations

Customers recognize that shipments, especially those directed to the western US, may be subjected to longer shipping durations of 3-5 business days. Customers agree to provide necessary care to the plants, recognizing that the quality of the plants may be affected due to prolonged shipping times.

4. Agreement with Shipping Information and Schedule

Customers, by making a purchase, have reviewed and agreed upon our shipping protocols and schedules. They acknowledge the presence of a countdown clock on the website and our once-weekly shipping policy every Monday, recognizing the rationale behind avoiding weekend layovers for the plants.

5.Extreme Weather Conditions

Customers acknowledge that our store is not responsible for damage or loss of live plants due to extreme weather conditions during transit and delivery. This includes exposure to cold or freezing temperatures during the winter months and extreme heat during the summer. We provide tracking information when orders are processed every Monday to ensure customers are aware of the delivery schedule. It is the customer's responsibility to prevent packages from being left outside in conditions that may cause damage. Our store does not accept responsibility for any adverse effects caused by weather conditions beyond our control.

6. No Refund Policy

Customers agree that refunds are only processed under exceptional circumstances. Our store will not be held responsible for poor plant choices relative to location suitability, extreme conditions during and/or post-shipment, and improper post-purchase plant care.

7. Responsibility of Care

Upon purchase, customers agree to assume full responsibility for the ongoing care of the plants. This includes, but is not limited to, appropriate watering, exposure to suitable light, and adherence to specific care instructions pertinent to each plant type.

8. Consent

By proceeding with this purchase, customers consent to all the terms and conditions stated above, confirming understanding and agreement to all stipulations mentioned.

These terms and conditions aim to ensure clarity, mutual understanding, and agreement between the seller and the customer to facilitate a smooth transaction and foster a positive customer experience.

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GreenDreams Sustainable Solutions, Inc.
18709 US Hwy. 41, Spring Hill, FL 34610
Shop Our Retail Nursery Location: Open to the Public!
TUES - FRI 9 AM - 5 PM / SAT 8 AM - 3 PM

Retail Nursery Info + Contact - Click Here

All Online Orders Ship Mondays
Question About Your Online Order? USE CONTACT FORM HERE

ONLINE NURSERY / SHIPPING DEPT / MATERIALS DELIVERY / CONSULTATION & DESIGN - PLEASE USE OUR CONTACT FORM FOR BEST SERVICE: USE CONTACT FORM HERE

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