Id help needed, please

rayandgwenn

19 years ago

Hi-

We found this guy growing along the edge of a small stream. Any idea of what his name might be?

Thanks in advance

-Ray

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:845527}}

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Comments (5)

TimChapman
19 years ago
not a ginger at all, but a Calathea. C warscewiczii. Not sure where its truly native to (costa rica if I remember correctly), but I'd imagine its an escapee there in P.R. Are you growing the native Renealmia? The two we saw there during the HSI meeting are great plants and deserve more attention!

Tim Chapman
rayandgwenn
Original Author
19 years ago
Hey Tim- Thanks for the ID. We are growing the Renealmia- it is a pretty plant- and easy to grow from seed. Do you know if they are able to grow elsewhere (hardiness zones)?
Thanks- Gwenn
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GingersRus
19 years ago
Tim, is that the one that is usually sold as C. louisae? I remember you telling me that Helen Kennedy had corrected the name, but at that time I don't think you could recall it. I was going to ask about it sometime. If this is the same plant, it is one of the hardiest of Calatheas, completely reliable here in Zone 8B and I would think throughout zone 8.
TimChapman
19 years ago
Calathea louisea has a very similar leaf pattern, but not the velvety look that C. war. has. In addition, the inflor. of C. louisea is much smaller and less colorful etc. C. louisea is very hardy, been growing it in zone 8 for many many years. C. war. is probably not hardy at all, though I've never tested it. Years ago Helen had told me that the plants labeled as C. louisea are really C. albertii, but I've never seen it corrected anywhere and I should really double check on this. C. louisea and C. war. haven't been mixed up in the trade as far as I know.

The Renealmia have no cold hardiness from my experience. Still, south floridians and others should be growing these. The basal blooming R. occidentalis is very impressive!! Are you growing the terminal blooming species as well? (R. jamaicensis I think it was). It has a smaller inflor but really cool none the less.

Tim Chapman
GingersRus
19 years ago
This makes me wonder.... I once received a Calathea from Bryan Brunner (of Puerto Rico)that was identified as C. louisae. I also had some that was purchased locally and I did not keep the specimens separate. Since the one in question here is also from Puerto Rico it makes me wonder if perhaps it was actually C. warscewiczii.

Now that I look again, I see that the one in this thread has wider bracts with pinkish tinges to the margins, whereas the C. louisae in my garden has pure white bracts, and narrower. Is that another distinction between these species?