Hedychium - Ginger Lilies

Widely known as 'Ginger Lilies' Hedychium are not a lily at all but a rhizomatus perennial with interesting flowers.

Hedychium gardnerianum or Kahili ginger is an upright species with fragrant yellow flowers, it is tender and seems to do best in a greenhouse, however in the UK gardeners who can create a warm micro climate are successful.

If you can over winter in a frost free area flowering will be more prolific than if you cut back and mulch.

Species and Care

Hedychium coronarium is a white flowering species from Nepal, they do need a greenhouse situation, or perhaps a position on a warm patio. Wonderful fragrance and well worth the extra care.

Hedychium densiflorum is perhaps the easiest to care for and the most cold tolerant of all, tall orange flower spikes and although it will die back in winter and certainly needs to be mulched to protect from frosts it is the easiest of the ginger lilies for the UK.

Another orange flowering species is Hedychium coccineum, reaching around 2m it is tender as with others, however it is worth a try in a sheltered position. Sometimes called the red ginger lily, however we think more orange than red.

Hedychium are available for sale from the following nurseries.

HIMALAYAN GARDENS Ltd
28 Marywell Brae, Kirriemuir, Angus, Scotland DD8 4BP, UK.
Rare and unusual Plants. Temperate and tropical flower bulbs and plants from around the world.
email bulbs@himalayangardens.com

SHADYPLANTS.COM
Upper Doreys Mill, Edge, near Painswick, Stroud Glos GL6 6NF
01452 812459