Hedychium coronarium - Butterfly Ginger

Family:	Zingiberaceae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	1.5
Width:	1
Synonyms:
Range:	E. Asia - India.

Hedychium coronarium (Butterfly Ginger) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 1.5m and a width of 1m . It has a hardness rating of 9and is quite resiliant to frost.
Butterfly Ginger will flower in February to April. The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by

Soil Information

Butterfly Ginger will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is not necessary for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Butterfly Ginger prefers soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Butterfly Ginger should not be planted in shady areas.

Moist places along streams and on forest edges[200].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Grows within a woodland garden
• Grows on a sunny edge
• Can be planted in Cultivated Beds
• A bog garden plant

Cultivation Details

Requires a rich moist soil and a sunny position[233]. It succeeds in shallow water[200] and can also be grown in a sunny border as a summer sub-tropical bedding plant[[1]. Plants are not very hardy, they tolerate temperatures down to about -2°c and can be grown at the foot of a south-facing wall in the milder areas of Britain if given a good mulch in the winter[1, 200]. The flowers have a delicious perfume which is most pronounced towards evening[245]. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[233]. The tubers should be only just covered by soil[233].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 2/5
Young buds and flowers are eaten or used as a flavouring[177, 183]. Root - cooked. A famine food used when all else fails[177].

• Flowers -

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 2/5
The seed is aromatic, carminative and stomachic[218]. The root is antirheumatic, excitant and tonic[218, 240]. The ground rhizome is used as a febrifuge[240]. An essential oil from the roots is carminative and has anthelmintic indications[240]. The plant has been used as a remedy for foetid nostril[240].

• Antirheumatic - Treats rheumatism.
• Aromatic - Having an agreeable odour and stimulant qualities.
• Carminative - Reduces flatulence and expels gas from the intestines.
• Febrifuge - Reduces fevers.
• Stomachic - Aids and improves the action of the stomach.
• Tonic - Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a warm greenhouse at 18°c[200]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on for at least their first winter in the greenhouse. Plant out in late spring after the last expected frosts. Division as growth commences in the spring[200]. Dig up the clump and divide it with a sharp spade or knife, making sure that each division has a growing shoot. Larger clumps can be planted out direct into their permanent positions, but it is best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a greenhouse until they are established. Plant them out in the summer or late in the following spring.

Scented parts of the plants

Flowers : Fresh

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

The stems contain 43 - 48% cellulose and are useful in making paper[218]. An essential oil obtained from the flowers is valued in high grade perfumes[240]. The root contains 1.7% essential oil, which is used medicinally[240].

• Essential - Essential oils that are used in perfumery, medicines, paint solvents, insect repellents etc.
• Paper - Related to the entry for Fibre, these plants have been specifically mentioned for paper making.

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Huxley. A.
Author: Huxley. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Date of Publication : 1992

Flora of China

Author:
Rating: http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher : On-line version of the Flora - an excellent resource giving basic info on habitat and some uses.
Date of Publication : 1994

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