Hedychium 'Tara'

RHS Plant Profile

ginger lily 'Tara'

Other common names

red ginger lily 'Tara'

Synonyms

Hedychium × moorei 'Tara', Hedychium coccineum 'Tara', Hedychium 'Tara' red

RHS Recommended

Conservatory Greenhouse Herbaceous Perennial

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An erect herbaceous perennial with stems to 2m in height, bearing lance-shaped leaves 30-40cm in length. Fragrant orange flowers with prominent darker orange stamens are borne in dense terminal racemes up to 25cm in length from late summer

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: 5–10 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: South–facing or East–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): H4

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: Clump forming
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: Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in humus-rich, fertile, moist but well-drained soil in sun or partial shade. Choose a warm position sheltered from cold winds and give a deep winter mulch. An alternative is to grow it in a large container on a warm, sunny patio and to overwinter indoors or under glass. See hedychium trial 2024-2026

Propagation

Propagate by division of rhizomes in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
Cottage and informal garden
City and courtyard gardens
Flower borders and beds
Wall side borders

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to red spider mite and aphids

Diseases

Generally disease-free