Spiked Spiralflag

Description

Costus spicatus, also known as spiked spiralflag ginger or Indian head ginger, is a species of herbaceous plant in the Costaceae family (also sometimes placed in Zingiberaceae). Costus spicatus is native to the Caribbean (including Dominica, Guadeloupe, Hispaniola, Martinique, and Puerto Rico). Costus spicatus leaves grow to a length of approximately 1 ft (30 cm) and a width of approximately 4 in (10 cm). It produces a short red cone, from which red-orange flowers emerge one at a time. In botanical literature, Costus woodsonii has often been misidentified as Costus spicatus.