Acidic / Chalky / Alkaline / Clay / Heavy / Moist / Well Drained / Light / Sandy
Roscoea are tuberous perennials that are related to the ginger family. They have arching, strap-like leaves and beautiful, orchid-like flowers.
Roscoea x beesiana is an interspecific hybrid, the result of a cross between Roscoea cautleyoides and Roscoea auriculata. From midsummer to early autumn it produces lovely cream flowers with purple streaking, though this is quite variable – some will have a greater degree of purple streaking, some less.
Roscoea x beesiana grows best in a sheltered spot, in partial shade; if you’re planting in a sunnier spot, be sure to keep the soil moist. Roscoeas are sensitive to low temperatures in winter, so plant tubers deeply (around 15cm deep) and mulch in winter. Roscoea x beesiana has been given the Royal Horticultural Society's prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM).
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Roscoea and wildlife
Roscoea has no particular known value to wildlife in the UK.
