Growers Guide for Dichorisandra – Blue ginger

A genus of herbaceous perennial plants from tropical America, grown mainly for their ornamental foliage, though some also have showy flowers. They need warm greenhouse treatment in cooler areas. From the Greek dis, twice, chorizo, to part, aner, anther, referring to the 2-valved anthers (Commelinaceae).

Species grown today

• Dichorisandra mosaica, 2 feet, leaves green with white veins and other marks, reddish-purple on the undersides, flowers bright blue, autumn, Peru.
• Dichorisandra pubescens, 2 feet, flowers blue; var. taeniensis, leaves striped with white, flowers blue and white, Brazil.
• Dichorisandra thyrsiflora, 4 feet or more, leaves dark green, flowers 1 dark blue in a 6 inch long spike, summer to autumn, Brazil.
• Dichorisandra vittata, 6-12 inches, leaves purplish-green with white stripes, Brazil.

Where to Plant and Grow Dichorisandra

These plants are potted up in March in a compost consisting of loam, leafmould and peat in equal parts, plus a little silver sand. The pots should be in the warmest part of the greenhouse, where a winter temperature of 55-65°F (13-18°C) can be maintained, rising in summer to 75-85°F (24-29°C), when shading from sunlight should be provided.

Water freely from spring to autumn, moderately only in winter and avoid draughts at all times. Propagation is by seeds sown in heat in spring, by division of the plants in March or by cuttings taken at almost any time, rooted in a propagating case with bottom heat.

Dichorisandra