A few years back, I purchased four 1-gallon containers of Siam Tulips to start a cutting garden behind my back patio. Native to Thailand and Cambodia, the plant is well suited to coastal, sub-tropical growing zones and began spreading almost immediately! Now in their third summer, these beautiful members of the ginger family have started another bloom cycle:
Curcuma Alismatifolia, Maejo Mont Blanc (aka Siam Tulip)
All varieties of Curcuma alismatifolia share grass-green colored foliage with a single inflorescence emerging from the center; differences are found in the height of the flower stalk and shape/color of its bracts. The Maejo Mont Blanc variety is white with hints of pink and splashes of mauve along the edges. The bracts are more rounded than most alismatifolias, and the plant in general is more compact.
Curcumas really DO resemble Tulips! 🙂
The lower bracts of the inflorescence are small and green with tiny purple flowers emerging from base to tip at full bloom. The bract spike is quite sturdy and stands up well to windy conditions during rainy season. When cut and placed in a vase, the flower looks great for a week to 10 days!
Short and sweet for today….TC is visiting and we’re off to the bookstore!
Until next time….
🙂
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16 thoughts on “The Siam Tulips are blooming!”
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small house/BIG GARDEN 
How beautiful. Happy summer!
Thank you, Coco!
LOVE!
Hi Anne!
Yes, they’re one of my faves, too! I’d never seen anything like it before moving to Florida!
These are so gorgeous!!
Thank you!
After they finish this bloom cycle, my plan is to divide them and try a few in full sun. I’m curious how they’ll do in comparison to the filtered light they currently get!
Oh wow! They are beautiful.
Those are some lovely flowers. I admire folks who use a ‘cutting garden’ for cuttings. I’ve planted so many of them and when it comes down to cutting the flowers, I never have the heart. lol Your flowers are so pretty and have nifty stories and histories. I like that.
I really enjoy visiting your blog, your photos are gorgeous and I learn stuff too. Thanks so much. and Thanks so much for visiting my blogs and leaving comments. I really appreciate it. 🙂
I love these! How fun that yours (in Florida) and mine (in a pot in Maryland) are both starting to bloom at the same time.
I was wondering where mine were hiding this past year! Typically, I’ve noticed them flowering by late May/early June, with the foliage emerging a few weeks prior! This year, they didn’t break the soil line til mid july….wierd!
It’s been an odd year in the garden
Gardening is a passion of mine… but out here in the desert we are limited in what we can grow. I try most everything… but cactus is my specialty… and it does very well here. I don’t believe I have ever seen the Siam Tulips… they are beautiful!!! Keep up the good work!
Thank you, Galen! I’m an enormous fan of anything Cactus/succulent…funny isn’t how we gardeners always admire most the plants we can’t grow easily in home “zones!”
The Siam tulips were late this year..May is when they’ve flowered for me in the past. Haven’t figured out why this season was different!
Thanks again for leaving a comment!
So that’s what those are called.
🙂 yup!!!
Thanks for “camping out” in my blog again this month!! Much appreciated!!