Hedychium villosum

RHS Plant Profile
hairy ginger lily
Herbaceous Perennial

An upright, low-growing rhizomatous perennial to 1m with large, broad, lance-shaped dark green foliage. White flowers with conspicuous orange stamens, fragrant both day and evening, appear from late summer through to October

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
5–10 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.5-1 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 or East–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
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
Columnar upright
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

How to Grow

Cultivation

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

Propagation

Divide rhizomes in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Patio and container plants

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