Hi Nancy & all,
This is what I found: Kaempferia
Tropical plants which have ornamental leaves. They are natives of
Borneo, Cochin China and other warm countries and belong to the family
Zingiberaceae. The name commemorates a German physician named E.
Kaempfer.
HOTHOUSE PLANTS: These plants must be grown in a tropical greenhouse
having a minimum winter temperature of 65 degrees; during the summer a
warm, moist atmosphere must be maintained. The best potting compost
consists of peat and loam in equal parts with sand added freely. The
leaves die in autumn and during the winter the leafless plants,still in
the flowerpots, are kept quite dry.
In February they are taken out of the pots, repotted in fresh
compost of the kind advised, and watered carefully until they are
growing freely; when in full growth in summer, they need a good deal of
water. If an increased stock is required, it is obtained by separating
the dormant plants into rooted pieces and repotting them singly in
February.
The chief kinds are K. Roscoeana, which has handsome bronze-brown
and green leaves; K. ornata, with variegated leaves and yellow flowers,
and K. rotunda, which bears fragrant, white flowers tinged with rose or
mauve.
Steve Philbrick
N.E. Ohio
Zone 5
GREENTHUM@webtv.net
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- To: i*@prairienet.org
- Subject: kaempferias
- From: s*@interport.net (Nancy Stedman)
- Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 22:01:14 -0500 (EST)
Does anyone know these plants? I can't find them in my reference books. How hard are they to grow as houseplants? What kind of light do they need? How big are they? How long do they bloom? Any info appreciated. Thanks, Nancy Stedman
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