Hedychium densiflorum 'Stephen'

RHS Plant Profile

ginger lily 'Stephen'

John Fielding

Synonyms

Hedychium 'Stephen'

Herbaceous Perennial

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A rhizomatus perennial with large, glossy, mid-green lance shaped leaves. In late summer large racemes of yellow/orange fragrant flowers with deeper orange stamens are produced.

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

1-1.5 metres

Max Spread

1-1.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 1-1.5 metres
Max Height: 1-1.5 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 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): H3

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

Outdoors, grow in humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil, in sun or partial shade, sheltered from cold winds. Mulch in winter with garden compost or leaf mould to protect the rhizomes from frost. Indoors grow in a peat-free, loam-based compost, in bright, indirect light.

Propagation

Propagate by division in spring.

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
City and courtyard gardens
Mediterranean climate plants
Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Conservatory and greenhouse
Wall side borders
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Cut back the old flower spikes after flowering, and cut the foliage down in the autumn.

Pests

May be susceptible to red spider mite and aphids under glass

Diseases

Generally disease-free