Cautleya gracilis 'Purple Emperor'

Cautleya Zingiberaceae

A particularly handsome form of this wonderfully hardy Himalayan ginger, distinguished by the intense purple colouring on the backs of its leaves, which gives the whole plant a striking two-tone effect. The upright, lance-shaped foliage forms neat clumps, with the dark pigmentation becoming especially apparent as the leaves move in the slightest breeze. Above them, the familiar spikes of bright yellow flowers appear in summer, each emerging from conspicuous reddish-purple bracts — a delicious combination of colours and one of the reasons Cautleya is such a useful genus for the woodland garden.

‘Purple Emperor’ was raised from seed collected in north-west Burma (Myanmar), on Phunghen Razi, one of the highest peaks in the region. Despite its exotic appearance, Cautleya gracilis is remarkably hardy and makes an excellent colony in moist, humus-rich soil in partial shade. The purple-backed foliage remains an attraction even when the flowers have finished.

• Hardiness: H5 – approximately -15 to -10°C
• Height: 45–60 cm
• Spread: 30–45 cm
• Flowers: July–September
• Flowers: Yellow
• Origin: NW Burma (Myanmar), Phunghen Razi
• Collection: Seed collected on Phunghen Razi