Hi Ginny!

Well, thank you for id'ing them for me! I just picked up two at HD for $5. They were labeled 'curcuma' of course lol. They sure are pretty! Do you know anything about them? Are they shade lovers?

Here is some info on them.

The pretty dancing ladies whirl and dance whenever a breeze stirs.
Description
The foliage of dancing ladies grows to about 2 ft (0.6 m) high with long, lance shaped leaves on short stems. The plants slowly increase to form open clumps of greenery, but the real attraction is the unusual flowers. The inflorescence hangs down from the stem and is comprised of showy bracts in purple or white with tiny yellow flowers. The common name "dancing ladies" is derived from the way the flowers seem to dance in the air suspended from the bracts. The flowers will appear sporadically from July until dormancy in the fall.

The species Globba winitii has mauve-purple bracts, but there are several popular cultivars in other colors. 'White Dragon' has, as the name implies, pure white bracts with the same yellow flowers. 'Red Leaf' has pinkish purple bracts and a reddish tint on the undersides of the leaves. A grower in Hawaii has patented a series of cultivars called the "Dancing Jewels" that have been marketed in national retail chains. These include 'Ruby Queen', 'Pristina Pink', 'Purest Angel' (white) and 'Blushing Maiden' (pink and white). 'Ruby Queen' was chosen as the Best New Flowering Plant at the 1999 Tropical Plant Industry Exhibition in Florida.

Location
Globba winitii is native to Thailand and Viet Nam.

The dancing ladies selection 'White Dragon' is a popular variety.
Culture
Plant dancing ladies in fertile, organic, well-drained soil. They will go dormant in winter, so be sure to mark their spots, as they are among the last of the plants to reappear in spring. In colder climates, the rhizomes may be lifted in winter and stored in a cool garage or basement in slightly damp peat. These plants are virtually pest free and very easy to grow if given suitable conditions.
Light: Provide full shade. Will tolerate a little sun if kept moist.
Moisture: Needs regular moisture in well drained soil during the growing season.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 8 - 11.
Propagation: Dancing ladies ginger is propagated by division of clumps during growing season or by cutting pieces of dormant rhizome.

Usage
Dancing ladies are ideal for the front of a shady border. Plant them close to a path where the unusual flowers can be viewed up close. They can be used as container plants in warm summer areas, but will not bloom well in cool climates since they require night-time temperatures of 65ºF (18.3ºC) or higher.

Features
Globba winitii's unusual and showy flowers add color and excitement to the shade garden. As a bonus, these beauties are excellent for cutting and arranging

Oh, I was JUST at Lowe's yesterday searching for Gaura and I didn't see THEM!
Aren't they gorgeous?????????

I picked up two Siam Tulips (Cucurma alismatifolia) tho, at HD...what can I say.............................
I'm incorrigible...LOL

'course.........in my own defense...........they shouldn't have been allowed to put a Lowe's and an HD on the same road I travel to get back to the Island...hehehe.

Hi Helen :)

I can only speak for myself... I have both the purple and the yellow. They like shade. Mine goes completely dormant in the winter so I flag them to remember where they are................. but I am in the cold tundra of north palm beach . You may be different

:) D`Ann

Sylvia, thanks for providing all the info. The ones I have are grown in shade also, but they may get some filtered sun. Funny, the tags on the ones I just bought say full sun, but I can't see them doing well in full sun.

Ginny

I have mine in mostly shade as well. And they go dormant in the winter. Easy plants to grow, the hardest part is remembering where they are planted. I cut apart tomato cages and use these as markers. :o)

Those are really pretty. I want to go back to HD to see if they have any more curcuma. I had never heard of them or seen them until last week.

lynne melb , search globba....... curcuma was a
mislable.

good luck :)

D`Ann

What a cool ginger. Oh how I wish I had more shade to add some.

Cindee, Cindee, Cindee...
Don't you know you just get these things and then figure out what to do with them? lol... I have no shade, mine will have to stay on the patio!

I'm sure I'll have a couple for you in the fall :)

Just came back from HD with one of each color. The kids were moaning and it was drizzling but I didn't care. I was on a mission.
My thanks to all you enablers out there. :)

Thanks D'Ann. I got interrupted when I was posting my message above. What I meant to say is that I want to go back to HD to get some fertlizer and to look for more cucurma. Now I have even more reason too want to go back.

Those are gorgeous, I hope our HD has some mislables like that too! I'm gonna go look today!
~Lenette

They were mislabeled at Lowes too. Check out Lowes if HD doesn't have them. They had 2 plants to a pot at 7.99 here.
I have others that don't have such a large bloom and they are very pretty too.

Ginny

Check out Walmarts too, they had them for about 50c less.

Oh Goodie! I found one :) It was 4 dollars and something...in a gallon pot.
Thanks for the heads up. It's so pretty! Happy Dance~~

Question: There are two separate flowers on the plant. One is hot pink and the flower on the other side is very light pink. Do they fade to lighter color as they age? Or start out light and turn dark?
~Lenette

Wow! I've gotta get to Lowe's tomorrow in my shopping travels! I have the yellow, but I've been craving the purple/pink one. Thanks for the heads up!