CULTIVAR NAME: 'Carla'
PARENTAGE: Costus aff. laevis x guanaiensis
STATUS: Established
TYPE: natural hybrid
REFERENCE: www.gingersrus.com/DataSheet.php?PID=7530
PUBLISHED: December 2013 in Heliconia Society Bulletin 19 (4)
REGISTRANT: D. Skinner
NOTES:
ORIGIN: Unknown origin, received from Carla Black in Panama, named and introduced by Dave Skinner.
DESCRIPTION: Vegetative parts are similar to Costus laevis with dark green leaves and purplish undersides, mostly glabrous stems and leaves. Mature stems are deep purple, up to 5 cm in diameter supporting very large mature plants up to 4-5 meters high. Young leaves have the typical silvery stripe of C. laevis, ligules are lobed, and about the same length (Ca 2 cm) as the petioles. The inflorescence is a C. guanaiensis type with green appendaged bracts and flowers with spreading labellum mostly white with red stripes, similar to C. guanaiensis flowers.
