Butterfly Ginger (Solid Leaf)

Hedychium coronarium

Characteristics

Culture

Butterfly Ginger (Solid Leaf) is winter hardy to USDA Zones 8-10. Best grown in organically rich, medium to wet, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Can be grown in shallow water. Likes hot and humid summers and consistently moist soils. Noted for its intense fragrance, butterfly ginger is an upright rhizomatous perennial boasting dense spikes, up to 8 inches long, on very fragrant butterfly-like flowers in late summer and early fall.  Each flowers last about one day, but several hundred flowers can appear during a 6-week period.  The scented blossoms are borne at the tips of upright stem and rise above the foliage of mid-green, lance-shaped leaves that grow up to 2 feet in length.  Even when not in bloom, butterfly ginger looks great on patios or decks with a tropical theme. One of the nicest gingers for the home landscape.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Hedychium coronarium, commonly called white ginger lily, butterfly ginger, or garland flower, is perhaps native to the Himalayas but it has been widely cultivated in tropical Asia. It is a rhizomatous tender perennial that may grow to 10’ tall in its native habitat, but more typically grows 3-6’ tall. Features large, lance-shaped, medium green leaves (to 24” long x 5” wide). Fragrant white flowers in dense elliptical racemes (4-8” long) in late summer to early fall. Individual flowers purportedly resemble butterflies, hence the sometimes used common name of butterfly ginger for this species. Genus name comes from the Greek words hedys meaning sweet and chion meaning snow. The flower of one species is white and fragrant. Specific epithet means pertaining to garlands.

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems. Watch for scale, red spider mites, aphids and root rot.

Garden Uses

Borders. Container plants. Near ponds or streams. Cottage Gardens.