Cautleya is a genus in the Zingiberaceae family native of cool forests in the high altitude tropical and temperate areas of the eastern Himalayas. Species are seen either on the ground in deep leaf litter or on stone outcrops between humus and moss. Cautleya flowers are funnel-shaped, pale orange or yellow flowers, and are produced on erect spikes. Flowers are produced above the leaves in late summer and early fall. The bracts enclosing the flowers are a deep red and they are seen throughout the flowering period. Cautleya is in the Zingibereae tribe.
Cautleya spicata is a species that comes from the Himalaya, where it grows to three feet or so tall and bears red and orange flowers. Picture 1 shows the cultivar C. spicata 'Robusta' and is hardy in David Victor's garden down to temperatures of minus ten centigrade. Pictures 2 and 3 show the cultivar 'Crug Canary' grown by Martin Bohnet in container culture with dry, frost free hibernation.
