Hedychium gardnerianum (Kahili Ginger)

A popular landscape ornamental plant, award-winning Hedychium gardnerianum (Kahili Ginger) is an upright rhizomatous perennial boasting cylindrical spikes, up to 18 in. long (45 cm), packed with up to 50 fragrant, lemon-yellow flowers, 3 in. wide (7 cm). A long and prominent red stamen emerges from each yellow flower, giving the inflorescence a striking appearance. Blooming in late summer and early fall, the showy blossoms are borne at the tips of upright stems and rise above the equally dramatic foliage of gray-green, lance-shaped, leathery leaves, up to 1 ft. long (30 cm). The foliage looks great, even not in bloom, on patios or decks with a tropical theme. The flowers give way to small capsules that split open when mature to reveal bright orange inner surfaces and bright red seeds. One of the hardiest hedychiums, Kahili Ginger is a bold and architectural perennial that brings an exotic touch to the garden and containers.

• Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society.
• Grows up to 5-6 ft. high (150-180 cm) and 2-3 ft. wide (60-90 cm). Kahili Ginger reproduces by seed and also vegetatively via its creeping underground rhizomes.
• Performs best in full sun or part shade, in humus-rich, moist, well-drained soils. Shelter from cold winds. Apply a deep mulch of garden compost or leaf mold to protect your plant in frost-prone areas. With mulching, Kahili Ginger can withstand temperatures between 10–20°F (-12 to -16°C).
• A pretty addition to beds and borders, containers, wall-side borders, coastal gardens, cottage gardens, or Mediterranean gardens. This is a vigorous plant with large rhizomes that can easily break containers if they do not have sufficient room for the roots, so use large, sturdy containers.
• Virtually disease free. Keep an eye out for glasshouse red spider mites and aphids.
• Cut back the foliage and old flower spikes at the end of the season.
• Propagate by seed at 21-24°C (70-75°F) as soon as ripe. Divide rhizomes in spring.
• Native to the Himalayas in India, Nepal, and Bhutan. It has naturalized in other areas, including the Caribbean and Hawaii, and is considered an invasive species in some parts of the world.