Keu / Costus
Costus speciosus
Also known as Cane-Reed, Crepe-Ginger, Spiral Ginger
- Habit
- Herb
- Found in India
- Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Karnataka, Arunachal Pradesh & more
- Flowering
- July-February
How to identify Keu
Identify Keu by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a herb habit.
- Check the distinctive field mark: Spirally arranged leaves, white flowers with yellow throat (crepe ginger).
- Confirm flower colour: White.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: July-February.
- In India, compare location records such as Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Karnataka, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and nearby regions.
- Confirm it sits within the Costaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Keu.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Costus speciosus
- Genus
- Costus
- Family
- Costaceae
- Habit
- Herb
- Habitat
- Moist deciduous and semi-Evergreen forests, also in the plains
- Habitat type
- Forest
- Distribution
- India, Sri Lanka, Himalayas, China, Malaysia, New guinea, Taiwan, Nepal
- Found in India
- Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Karnataka, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra
- Flowering & fruiting
- July-February
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Arrangement
- Alternate
Typical of the Costaceae family — a field-mark hint, not measured for this exact species.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- Whiterecorded
Typical of the family
- Inflorescence
- Spike
- Fruit
- Berry
Characters marked “recorded” are for Keu itself; the rest are typical of the Costaceae family — flowering plants only.
Local Names
- Assamese
- যম লাখুটি Jom Lakhut
- Bengali
- কেউ Keu, কেউমুক Keumuk
- Gujarati
- પેવટો Pevato
- Hindi
- केउ Keu, कुष्ठ Kushtha
- Kannada
- ನರಿ ಕಬ್ಬು Nari Kabbu, ನಾಯಿ ಕಬ್ಬು Naayi Kabbu, ಪುಷ್ಕರಮೂಲ Pushkaramula, ಪುಷ್ಕರ Pushkara, ಚಂಗಲಕೋಷ್ಟ Changalakosta, ಚಂಗಲಕೋಷ್ಠ Changalakostha, ನೀರಜ Neeraja, ಪದ್ಮಪತ್ರ Padmapatra
- Konkani
- कोशी Kosh
- Malayalam
- ആനക്കൂവ Anakkuva, ചണ്ണക്കൂവ Cannakkuva
- Manipuri
- ꯑꯣꯛꯆꯥꯛ ꯈꯣꯝꯕꯤ Okchak Khombi, ꯈꯣꯡꯕꯥꯟ ꯇꯈꯦꯂꯩ Khongban takhelei
- Marathi
- पेव Pev
- Odia
- କୁଷ୍ଠ Kushtha
- Sanskrit
- केमुक Kemuka, कुष्ठ Kustha
- Tamil
- கோஷ்டம் Kostam, வெண்கோஷ்டம் Ven-kostam
- Tangkhul
- Talaiwon, Makeiri
- Telugu
- కాశ్మీరము Kasmiramu, కిముక Kimuka, కోష్టము Koshtamu
- Nepali
- बेतलौरी Betalauri
- Mizo
- Sumbul
- Angami
- Thevobuto
About Keu
Costus (Costus speciosus) is a herb in the Costaceae family. In India it has been recorded in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Karnataka, Arunachal Pradesh and 4 other states. It grows in moist deciduous and semi-Evergreen forests, also in the plains. Flowering and fruiting run from July to February.
Uses
In practice it is planted as an ornamental.
Costaceae
Costus Family
Keu belongs to the Costaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Costaceae familySnap it. Know it.
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Common plant problems
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
All plant problem & care guides