Consulta Plantas

Care of the rhizomatous plant Hedychium gardnerianum or Kahili ginger

The genus Hedychium, family Zingiberaceae, includes about 80 species of rhizomatous plants native to the Himalayas and tropical Asia. Some species are: Hedychium gardnerianum, Hedychium coccineum, Hedychium flavescens, Hedychium coronarium, Hedychium gracile, Hedychium chrysoleucum, Hedychium aureum, Hedychium ellipticum.

Common names: Kahili ginger, Kahili garland-lily, Kahili ginger lily. This species is native to India.

They are rhizomatous herbaceous plants with robust green stems that reach 1 meter (3.28 feet) in height. The large leaves, alternate and lanceolate, grow around the stem and are lustrous green in color. The showy yellow flowers appear on long terminal spikes. They bloom in summer.

They are used to decorate wet areas of the garden and in pots as a houseplant, greenhouse and terrace.

These plants need a semi-shady or well-lit exposure but without direct sun. They do not resist temperatures below 6 ºC (42.8 ºF).

The soil must be fertile, light, well drained and able to retain moisture.

Water frequently throughout the year, especially in summer, and reduce watering in winter by preventing the soil from drying out completely. It is advisable to wait for the surface part of the substrate to dry.

Fertilize with mineral fertilizer every 15 days in summer to promote flowering.

Overwatering (never waterlogging) can lead to fungal diseases and rhizome rot.

They are propagated from seeds sown in the spring in the greenhouse and by division of the rhizome in the fall or spring.

Images of the rhizomatous plant Hedychium gardnerianum or Kahili ginger