Costus ‘Phoenix’ is a creation of mine that was done many years ago but almost lost. With only one pot growing at the time I brought cuttings to Hawaii for my friend Mark Collins. Shortly there after my original plant had an unfortunate accident before it was fully evaluated. Years later I saw a hybrid listed on Mark’s list with my name attached. It turns out that small cutting had taken and done very well for him. It was a very good cut flower so it began being ship to people around the world. The glowing red inflorescence and the fact it had risen from the ashes so to speak led to an official name, ‘Phoenix.’ This awesome hybrid has an inflorescence very much like its father Costus comosus and it is free blooming and productive like its mother Costus productus. It is cold hardy in Zone 8 adding to the short list of Costus that do well in areas with winter freezes. From a quick glance it is hard to distinguish from C. comosus but in the garden it is a much nicer plant. The stems also are colored unlike C. comosus which has solid green stems. Every southern ginger grower should have this in their garden! (and yes it’s my baby so I’m a bit partial).
Grows to 4 feet (larger in warmer zones) in medium sun, hardy in Zone 8 and above.