Costus hybrid ‘Green Mountain’ is a creation by yours truly (Tim Chapman) that was the first ornamental Costus hybrid ever created and released. Unfortunately I allowed someone else to release it and learned some valuable lessons from that. First, never let anyone else name your hybrids as they might choose a name highlighting the one feature of the hybrid you don’t like! (the green bract appendages is the one thing I’d change on this). Secondly, get your agreement in writing. Some other disappointments of this first release was my goal of showing the world that Costus hybridization was possible was hampered by this being sold as Costus curvibracteatus ‘Green Mountain,’ totally ignoring the fact that it was not a species but a hybrid. It took many years to get the correct information out there.
At the time it was created the mother plant was known in horticulture as Costus curvibracteatus, later determined to be Costus productus. The father of this hybrid is Costus varzearum. ‘Green Mountain’ combines the purple back foliage of C. varzearum with the free flowering habit of C. productus. It has hybrid vigor and quickly made its way to ginger collectors around the world in only a few years time. It loves a medium sun (bright filtered shade) area. It will bloom easily in a 1gal size pot and larger. Though some have had success with it returning in Zone 9a gardens I refer to this as a tender species that should be protected in Zone 9a and colder areas. The inflorescence is an unusual color somewhere between orange and pink with green tipped bracts. This hybrid is fertile and has been used by others to create some great hybrids that maintain the vigor and free flowering habit.
Grows to 2-4′ in medium sun, hardy in Zone 9b and Zone 10