Planting Roscoea

Where to plant Roscoeas?

Like many Zingiberaceae, Roscoeas enjoy garden corners that mimic their natural habitat: cool, moist, and well-drained, with a good dose of indirect light or partial shade. They originate from the mountainous regions of Asia, so they prefer conditions that are neither too hot nor too sunny, with filtered light from the west or south.

What planting substrate for Roscoea?

The ideal is to plant Orchid Gingers in slightly acidic or neutral, rich, and well-drained soil to prevent their roots from sitting in water, which could damage them.

A little tip: Roscoeas prefer to be planted quite deeply, with their rootstock buried a few centimetres below the soil surface, to protect them from the cold in winter.

They can also thrive in pots, provided you offer them the right growth conditions. A good potting mix for perennial plants with quality drainage will do the trick.

When and how to plant Roscoea?

• Roscoeas are planted in spring
• Plant them at a depth of 6 to 8 cm
• Space the fleshy roots of Roscoeas about 15 cm apart. The young shoots take time to emerge.
• They are hardy down to -12°C in well-drained soil; beyond that, a thick mulch should be applied.
• In very clayey and wet soil during winter, it is better to remove the bulbs and store them for the winter.
• You can also grow them in pots, 3 per 24 cm pot, preferably in partial shade.