A Rare Ginger Plant In My Garden

My curcuma sulee rainbow - a rare ginger variety.

He stood a full head taller than me but Richard O'Brien's humble demeanor makes me his equal in a field totally new to me - ginger propagation. His depth of knowledge about gingers is evident on how he explained to me the different varieties that thrive in different parts of the world.  It is quite amazing and interesting to be introduced in a world where not too many care about a plant that brings forth not just rhizomes but also maddeningly beautiful flowers that can rival even the most exotic of orchids in the wild.

Twice I read a simple ad posted inside the shuttle service of our village which read, "Rare Ginger for Sale".  Not very long and I saw myself ringing the bell at No. 26 Kasoy Street.  It was my first time to meet Richard, who  was all too happy to explain how he hauled his ginger plants from Florida, USA all the way to his Filipina wife's hometown in Pangasinan.  It was no surprise to hear from Richard that not too many Filipinos are into rare ginger propagation.  He searched the internet and visited commercial gardens in the country and found only a handful of ginger enthusiasts.  I told him that most Filipinos propagate ginger only for purposes we know best - in the kitchen.  Richard acknowledged the great medicinal value of ginger confirming it is both anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial.  Turmeric or "dilaw na luya" in the local language is widely used as coloring for curry dishes.

Our first meeting was the usual "getting-to-know-your-neighbor" stage.  The second meeting produced my first ever curcuma sulee rainbow.  I just asked him, "What can you give me for P200.00?"  He smiled, took one of the healthy banana-looking plant and said, "This sulee rainbow sells for twenty US dollars, but I will give you this on your budget."

My curcuma sulee rainbow is the newest plant in our garden.

According to davesgarden.com, curcuma sulee rainbow is a tropical and tender perennial plant belonging to the ginger family.  It is a hybrid between curcuma cordata and an unknown specie from Thailand.  This deciduous veined plant often blooms once only every year between mid-summer to early fall.  The color of its flower ranges from Magenta to Gold to Pale Yellow to Light Blue.  This variety is known to thrive in Florida and North and South Carolina.  Interestingly, Richard hails from Florida.  This gives a bit of an assurance that my ginger plant is genuinely rare.

Five days ago, I transplanted my sulee rainbow from the pot to the ground in our garden near the water fountain.  Today, it stands firm and healthy and brings hope of a beautiful bloom just like a rainbow which is said to be the Lord's promise of love and salvation to all mankind.  Our family waits in great anticipation.