White Ginger (Hedychium coronarium): Fragrant Butterfly Blooms

White ginger (Hedychium coronarium), also called garland lily or butterfly ginger, is a tropical perennial prized for its intensely fragrant, pure white, butterfly-shaped flowers that appear in dense spikes atop leafy stems in late summer and fall. The scent is sweet and heady, reminiscent of gardenia.

Growth

Plants grow 4–7 feet tall from rhizomes, with large, lance-shaped, medium-green leaves that lend a lush, tropical look. The flowers are used in leis and garlands in Hawaii. After blooming, the stems die back in winter (in marginal zones) or remain evergreen in true tropics.

Care

Partial shade to full sun; rich, moist, well-drained soil. Heavy feeder—apply compost and fertilizer regularly. Water consistently. Hardy in zones 8–11; mulch heavily in zone 8. Divide rhizomes in spring.

Taxonomy

• Family: Zingiberaceae
• Genus: Hedychium
• Species: coronarium