Hedychium gracile -

Family:	Zingiberaceae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	0.6
Synonyms:
Range:	E. Asia - India.

Hedychium gracile () is a Perennial which grows to a height of 0.6m . It has a hardness rating of 9and is quite resiliant to frost.
Hedychium gracile will flower in March. The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by

Soil Information

Hedychium gracile 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
Hedychium gracile prefers moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Hedychium gracile should not be planted in shady areas.

Moist places and on forest edges[200].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Grows within a woodland garden
• Grows on a sunny edge

Cultivation Details

Requires a rich moist soil and a sunny position[233]. It can 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 are sweetly scented, the scent being most pronounced towards evening[245]. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[233]. The tubers should be only just covered in soil[233].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 1/5
Used as a spice[177]. No more details are given.

• Condiment - the various plants that are used as flavourings, either as herbs, spices or condiments.

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 0/5
None known

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

None known

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

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