Upright stems, 2 to 5 feet tall, carry abundant heads of fragrant flowers from summer into late autumn — kahili ginger (Hedychium gardnerianum) is grown for its bloom and its scent, not for spice. It is not hardy at all, so frost-free shelter and light shade are what buy you that quick growth and long display.
Kahili ginger at a glance
Name
Hedychium gardnerianum
Common names
ginger lily, kahili ginger
Family
Zingiberaceae
Type
rhizome perennial
Height
2 to 5 feet (60 to 150 cm)
Exposure
full sun, part sun
Soil
ordinary, cool
Flowering
summer to late autumn
Planting kahili ginger
Preferably in spring for specimens purchased in nursery pots. Mix your earth with flower plant soil mix.
This plant isn’t hardy at all. It will die if exposed to frost. In temperatures slightly above freezing, a thick layer of mulch is recommended for it to stay alive.
Kahili ginger in a pot
You can grow this magnificent ginger in a pot, but you’ll have to repot it often. Replacing the pot and reducing the root ball is required every 2 years, sometimes every year. Like the ZZ plant, these powerful rhizomes can burst their pot open if left unattended.
This very beautiful perennial with an upright bearing and an abundant blooming produces cute fragrant flowers.
Its growth is quick, especially if the plant only receives indirect sun.
Prefer part shade or light sun.
Smart tip about wild ginger
Let us use organic care products to protect our planet.
Images: Public Domain: kbkash, Peter de Lange
Written by Gaspard Lorthiois | Loves helping out, especially when it comes to growing things. Worked in herbal medicine, runs a farm, and dabbles in tech. Master's degree and engineer.
