red lily with white center Hedychium speciosum (Showy Ginger Lily)

Hedychium speciosum is one of the more striking blooms in the Hedychium family with pale, butterfly-shaped, yellow-orange flowers with long filaments which add to its exotic look. The fragrant flowers bloom on a dense upright flower spike, and make your garden truly take on a tropical feel. Speciosum means "showy" or "beautiful" and this absolutely lives up to its name. This ginger lily combines vivid unique blooms with tall, lush foliage. With their bold, tropical foliage and delightfully fragrant blooms, Hedychiums—also known as ginger lilies—bring exotic elegance to the garden from midsummer into fall. But what makes them truly irresistible is their diversity: by mixing different varieties, you can extend the bloom season, play with color and texture, and create layered interest that evolves throughout the warm months.

Scott Ogden in his book Garden Bulbs for the South says that Hedychium "show a special affinity for the balmy, sometimes steamy climate of the South...While climbing temperatures exhaust the wills of lesser plants, these robust exotics grow and blossom ever more profusely. For gardeners in the warm South, a summer without the opulent charms of gingers would be insufferable."

What to expect: Hedychium put on its foliage in early spring. The flowering canes will also shoot up from the rhizomes themselves in late spring. The blooms on the Hedychium speciosum (Showy Ginger Lily) are pale with yellow-orange and red marks. The large, orchid-like flowers are shaped like a butterfly with long filaments. The fragrant flowers bloom around August on a dense upright flower spike. The foliage on the Hedychium speciosum is a deep green with almost a bluish tint. The leaves are 12-24 inches long and can be 3-5 inches wide as they stand tall. This Hedychium will grow to be 4-6 feet tall which will look great in large containers, mixed borders, or as a focal point in your garden. Hedychium is deciduous and will begin to die back with the first frost in the cooler zones.

Planting Requirements - Sun and Water: Hedychium does best when planted in full summer sun in zones 8-11. Yes, you read that correctly -- full summer sun! By planting in full sun the plant will get full of foliage. It will still do okay with at least 7-8 hours day of summer sun. Zone 11 may want to consider a few hours of afternoon shade. If it gets too little sun, it will try to reach for the sun and not be as full. Plant the rhizomes in well-drained soil on their side with the tips no more than 1" deep or almost visible with the dirt. Plan on planting in a location where the plants can grow comfortably to their full height of 3-5 feet and several feet wide. Ginger does have water needs. If you want it to perform, be sure that you water them well during hot and dry summers: however, do not plant them in continually soggy areas as this can damage the rhizome. Don't let the soil go completely dry for long periods of time either.

Containers: You can grow the ginger in pots which means you can have it in zones colder than 8, but be sure to bring it in before the first frost. The foliage is excellent for container gardening. Be sure to pay attention to watering your containers though.

? Can Hedychium Grow in Pots? → Yes! And Very Well. - space your rhizomes 4-6" apart and cover with 1" of soil.