Costus dubius

(Afzel.) K.Schum.

Showy costus, African costus

CostaceaeLeaves

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(c) John P, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by John P

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(c) Russell Cumming, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Russell Cumming

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(c) Thomas Mesaglio, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Thomas Mesaglio

What to Eat

Edible parts: Leaves

The leaves are edible.

Where to Find It

It is a tropical and subtropical plant. It grows in humid regions. It can grow in light shade. It is best in a soil with high organic matter. It often grows in wet areas.

Africa*, Asia, Australia, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, East Africa, Ghana, Hawaii, Indonesia, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa,

Countries: United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Armenia, Angola, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Bahrain, Burundi, Benin, Brunei, Bhutan, Botswana, Congo (DRC), Central African Republic, Congo (Republic), Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, China, Cape Verde, Djibouti, Algeria, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Georgia, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Japan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, Comoros, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Liberia, Lesotho, Libya, Morocco, Madagascar, Mali, Myanmar, Mongolia, Mauritania, Mauritius, Maldives, Malawi, Malaysia, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Nepal, Oman, Philippines, Pakistan, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Sudan, Singapore, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sao Tome & Principe, Syria, Eswatini, Chad, Togo, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Taiwan, Tanzania, Uganda, United States, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How to Identify

A herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 2-5 m tall and 2-3 m wide. The leaves are mid green. They are oval and wedge shaped at the base. They are arranged in spirals along the stems. The flowers are white with a yellow throat.