Siphonochilus aethiopicus (live bulb)

Siphonochilus aethiopicus BULB.

Common names: Wild ginger.

Wild ginger is a forest floor plant with aromatic rhizomatous roots. The leaves are deciduous and sprout annually from the underground stem in spring, they may reach a height of up to 400mm. It has tremendously attractive flowers, which are borne at ground level and may vary in colour from bright pink to white with a yellow centre and are delicately scented. This plant is now extinct in nature due to overcollecting and only available from cultivation.