Hedychium greenii

RHS Plant Profile
red ginger

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Conservatory Greenhouse Herbaceous Perennial
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A tender, clump-forming perennial with oblong, mid-green leaves up to 25cm long and bright red, butterfly-like flowers produced in summer in cylindrical spikes 12cm long

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

1.5-2.5 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.5-1 metres
Max Height
1.5-2.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H2

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower
Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Zingiberaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Suckering
Genus
Hedychium are rhizomatous perennials with erect, unbranched stems bearing two ranks of lance-shaped leaves, and dense terminal racemes of showy, often fragrant, trumpet-shaped flowers
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
E Himalaya to Assam

How to Grow

Cultivation

Outdoors, grow in humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in sun or partial shade. Shelter from cold winds and consider apply a deep mulch of garden compost or leafmould to protect the rhizomes in frost-prone areas. Under glass, use a peat-free, loam-based compost and grow on in bright, indirect light. See hedychium trial 2024-2026

Propagation

Propagate by seed at 21-24°C as soon as ripe. Divide rhizomes in spring. Sometimes produces bulbils which can be sown when ripe

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Coastal
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Sub-tropical
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Wall side borders

Pruning

No pruning required other than cutting back the foliage and old flower spikes at the end of the season

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite and aphids under glass

Diseases

Generally disease-free