Furry spiral ginger (Costus elegans) grows in the Greenhouses in Aarhus

[Translate to English:] Lodden spiralingefær — Furry spiral ginger - *Costus elegans*
© Egon Krogsgaard

The inflorescence is cone-shaped. In the image, you can see one newly opened flower and several older, withered flowers.
© Egon Krogsgaard

28 October 2025 by Science Museerne

The leaves of the furry spiral ginger are densely covered with soft hairs. Try gently touching them, and you will feel just how fuzzy they are.

Spiral ginger has its flowers arranged in a cone-shaped inflorescence. Each day, a new flower opens. In this way, the flowering period is extended over a long time.

In total, there are more than 100 species of spiral ginger. They all have their leaves arranged in a slowly twisting spiral along the stem. In the tropical house, we have six different species of spiral ginger – see if you can spot some of the others.

Facts:

Greenhouse location: Tropical house
Danish name: Lodden spiralingefær
Latin name: Costus elegans
Family: Spiral Ginger family / Costaceae
Natural habitat: Central America

Learn more about other plants here.