Roscoea purpurea f. rubra

Also Known As

Roscoea purpurea 'Red Gurkha'

Plant type

perennial

size

H: 10"
W: 18"

planting zones

5a-10b

More Options

Roscoea purpurea f. rubra plant details

Roscoea purpurea f. rubra is a broadleaf deciduous perennial with green foliage. In summer red flowers emerge. Features grassy texture. Grows well with mostly sun - mostly shade and regular water. Does well in average and well-drained soil. A good option if you're seeking something verticillium wilt resistant.

CHARACTERISTICS OF Roscoea purpurea f. rubra

Plant type: perennial
Plant family: zingiberaceae
Foliage: deciduous green
Mature size: 18 IN wide, 10 IN tall
Flowers: red blooms in summer
Uses: rare, showy, woodland garden

GROWING CONDITIONS for Roscoea purpurea f. rubra

USDA Zones: 5a - 10b
Sun exposure: mostly sun - mostly shade
Watering frequency: regular
Resistant to: verticillium wilt
Soil needs: average and well-drained

Nursery contributed plant descriptions

[NAPE 239] Forma alba is generally rare in trade. This one however, is a very unique selection made by Sue and Kelly of Far Reaches on their Nagaland-Arunachal Pradesh expedition. The large white flowers consist of small dorsal (upper) petals and large, wide labellum (lower petal, looking bib-like), infused heavily with violet.

By: Edelweiss Perennials

Fantastic Roscoea only discovered in the 1980's in Nepal and still scarce as hen's teeth in the nursery trade and always commanding very high prices. Why is this so good? It represents a color break in Roscoea with large red flowers which resemble some exotic orchid except this is easier to grow! It's a show-off plant for sure. In the trade as 'Red Gurkha' but recent nomenclature based on determining that this represents a naturally occurring variation of the species in stable wild populations in Nepal eliminates the perfect clonal name which everyone is still going to use.