Bitterroot Restoration

Order: Zingiberales
Family: Costaceae
Common name: Keu, Tara, Kura, Kemak(Beng.).
Native Range: Costus speciosus is native to southeast Asia, especially on the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia.

Costus speciosus is a tall and dramatic landscape plant with large dark green leaves arranged on the stalk in a spiral. It can grow to 10 ft (3.1 m) tall in frost-free areas, but typically grows to about 6 ft (1.8 m) tall in cooler regions where it is root hardy but dies back in winter. The species reproduces vegetatively by rhizome and birds disperse seeds when they feed on the fruits.

This plant has many historical uses in Ayurveda, where the rhizome has been used to treat fever, rash, asthma, bronchitis, and intestinal worms. It is mentioned in the Kama Sutra as an ingredient in a cosmetic to be used on the eyelashes to increase sexual attractiveness.