Ginger Lilies
Hedychium coccineum 'Angustifolium'
The same as above except flowers are brick red and the leaves are shorter. Some say this is hardier!
Hedychium densiflorum
A pretty hardy ginger lily with densely clustered fragrant orange flowers on 30cm spikes.
There are many densiflorum hybrids, including 'Assam Orange' which has tightly-packed flower spikes.
Hedychium ellipticum
A large and leafy ginger lily with delicate cluster of white, yellow-throated flowers sporting a spicey scent. Listed in one catalog as Hardy-ish -- what does THAT mean?
Hedychium forrestii
Large and leafy, with fragrant white flowers produced in succession along the flower spike. Again, quite hardy.
Hedychium gardnerianum
This is not very hardy but everything else is on it's side. Robust, exotic leafy stems and very fragrant yellow flowers with protruding red stamens. Marvellous! Invasive in very warm areas; see the Great Hedychium Links for more information.
Hedychium greenii
A smaller growing ginger lily. The leaves are maroon underneath. Watch for orange-scarlet flowers. Best in a damp soil, semi-shade. Hardy to zone 9 at least! A boon for us west coast gardeners who deal with lots of winter rain.
Hedychium yunnanense
Yunnan province in china is home to some truly beautiful plants. Medium sized leafy growth, spicily scented white flowers with a yellow and red throat. Unknown hardiness, but Yunnan varies between zones 8 and 10.
Caring for Ginger Lilies
There are a few Ginger Lilies that prefer some shade, but for the most part, sunshine is best for production of flowers. If you live in a very hot summer area, some shade will be needed to protect the leaves for scorching in the sun.
They also prefer rich, moist soil, although for effective overwintering, good drainage is of equal, if not greater, importance.
Plant tubers just below soil level. Cover the small buds with a small amount of soil and keep the area around the tuber moist until they sprout leaves.
If plants are purchased, plant them at the same level as the soil in the pot.
In the winter, Ginger Lilies will die back to the ground. Let the leaves die back naturally, just as you would tulip and daffodil foliage. It looks ugly but this process is necessary for the health of the plant. Once they have died back, clip them off at the base (sometimes a slight tug will release them, but don't try this until the plants are well-established). Place the leaves over the plant, as well as more leaves
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