Wow! I like that ginger. I hope it takes off for you soon. Has it ever bloomed for you?
Don't give up!!!
Ariel

In doing a search I found some sources that said full sun others said shade. Maybe it needs more sun, I found that gingers can take more sun then usually thought after my trees when down from the hurricanes. And some really responded to more fertilizer then they said too.

I have grown this for years (about 10 years) and have found that it took a long time to mature and flower. I tried it in a container (a large, 30 gal container) for a few years and although I had a beautiful plant, I only got one itty bitty bloom. When I built my greenhouse I planted it into the ground in there and it took off. It attained an ultimate height of about 15 ft and spread all over creation. It bloomed every season with tons of blooms.

Eventually, I dug it all out because, like my Etlingera elatiors, after a while they spread too much and take over too much. I saved some and have it in a container again. Even with no blooms the plant has a very appealing architectural beauty to the stems.

I have talked to other people who have this plant in FL who say that it is hard to get growing really well outdoors even in true zone 10 conditions, so it may be that it is just too cold over winter where you are in zone 9B. Mine was (is) grown in what probably amount to zone 12+ conditions, never below about 56-58 at night. I'll see if I can dig up a picture of it when it was in its glory, LOL.

I have it in a sheltered nook and always protect it, but that's not the same as being in zone 10 or better. Perhaps I should just be proud of my thin little stand.

I really don't care if it blooms, it's that beautiful stem I want.

These are pics of mine.
This was in 2003 when I had it in a container. You can see its already really tall. I lugged it into the sunroon in winter
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This is the first time it started to bloom, after I put it into the ground inside the greenhouse
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And this is when it was at its nicest with lots of mature blooms
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I am back to the first photo with the plant now, LOL, going in a circle.

Amber

I hope you are doing well! I gave up on this ginger. I had it for several years, it seemed to do ok, but skinny stems and no blooms. I also heard that it is not easy to grow anywhere in Florida, does not like the winters. It just always seemed to just survive, and never thrive. After about five years, I saw Bihai's and decided that mine was never going to look the way it should, and I gave up. Your only chance I believe, in your climate, you will need to protect it in the winter.

Bill

Hi where can I buy Costus stenophyllus?