Ginger Lily

Hedychium greenii

• Position:Full sun or partial shade
• Soil:Rich, moist soil
• Rate of growth: Quite fast
• Flowering period: July and August
• Flower Colour:Bright red
• Other features:architectural foliage
• Hardiness: Half hardy, needs winter protection
  
  This variety is more compact than many of the other gingers, but don't be put off as it can still reach up to two metres tall in the right conditions. The flowers are also slightly smaller than other Hedychiums, but they are still very showy. They are bright red and look a little like fluttering butterflies. The foliage is gorgeous, with reddish-purple stems that match the undersides of the leaves. The upper surface if the leaf is dark green so you get a lovely two-tone effect. Its native habitat is moist or marshy ground so make sure it gets lots of water.
  
  
• Garden care:Rhizomes should be covered in the Autumn with a deep mulch, or brought inside and kept cool and moist until the Spring when they can be planted again. This variety may produce small plantlets from the flower heads that can be removed after they have matured a bit and planted into the soil to create new plants.