Roscoea purpurea - 4 pieces

Roscoea purpurea - 4 pieces

CHF 19.95
CHF 19.95
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Roscoea purpurea - 4 pieces
  • Roscoea purpurea - 4 pieces
  • Roscoea purpurea - 4 pieces
Roscoea purpurea - 4 pieces

Roscoea purpurea - 4 pieces

Roscoea purpurea

CHF 19.95
CHF 19.95
  • Orchid-like flowers in violet and white
  • Flowers from July to September
  • About 35–45 cm tall
  • Hardy at low and medium altitudes
  • For partial shade, woodland edges and pots

Roscoea purpurea is often called a hardy ginger orchid, as its flowers look like small orchids. They appear from late July in violet to lilac, often with white stripes, and follow one another into autumn. The perennial is surprisingly hardy and a real speciality for partial shade.

About this variety

Roscoea belongs to the ginger family and comes from the Himalayas. Its flowers consist of a broad, hanging lip and narrow, upright petals, which gives them their orchid-like look. They sit among broad, fresh green leaves. New flowers keep opening for weeks. The flowers are about 5 cm across and appear singly or in pairs.

At about 35–45 cm tall it suits a partly shaded perennial border, a woodland edge or a pot. Good partners are ferns, hostas, Japanese forest grass and astilbes. The flower shape shows best in groups of three to five plants. It also does well in the shade of a small tree.

It is not suitable as a cut flower, but it gives long-lasting pleasure in the garden. Bees rarely visit it. If you love orchids and want their look in the garden, Roscoea is a robust alternative. It starts into growth late, so remember where it is. The plant grows stronger over the years and forms clumps.

Planting

Plant the rhizomes in spring, from March to May, about 10–15 cm deep. Deep planting protects them in winter. Space them 25–30 cm apart. Choose a partly shaded spot with humus-rich, moist, well-drained soil.

Care

Keep the soil evenly moist in summer and mulch with leaves. The plant does not appear until May or June, so mark the spot. It is hardy at low and medium altitudes, and a covering of leaves gives extra protection. Remove the dead foliage in autumn.

Specifications

  • Botanical name: Roscoea purpurea
  • Genus: Perennials
  • Class: Various
  • Supplied as: Bare roots
  • Flower colour: Purple, White
  • Flower size: 5 cm
  • Flowering time: July, August, September
  • Flowering season: High summer, Late summer and autumn
  • Foliage colour: Mid-green
  • Height: 40 cm
  • Spread: 50 cm
  • Habit: Upright
  • Position: Partial shade
  • Suitable for: Bed, Woodland edge, Pot and container
  • Soil type: Clay, Loamy
  • Drainage: Well-drained
  • Soil moisture: Moist
  • Soil pH: Neutral
  • Soil note: Suitable for many Swiss garden soils. A loose structure and good drainage matter more than a particular soil type.
  • Planting time: March, April, May
  • Planting depth: 4–6 inches
  • Spacing: 9.8–11.8 in
  • Number per m²: 12
  • Hardiness in Switzerland: Hardy in Switzerland
  • Hardiness by location: Hardy in Switzerland (low and medium altitudes)
  • Hardiness zone (USDA): 6–9
  • Overwintering note: Generally hardy in garden soil in Switzerland. At high, windy sites and in containers, plan extra winter protection and avoid winter wet.
  • For containers: Well suited to containers
  • Container note: Grow in a sufficiently large container with drainage holes and good drainage.
  • Cut flower: Not suitable as a cut flower
  • Naturalising: Not suitable
  • Naturalising note: Persists for several years in a suitable spot, but does not normally spread over larger areas on its own.
  • For bees and butterflies: Not attractive to pollinators
  • RHS hardiness: H5

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