I forgot to say thanks for this! For people not following BPotD, this was the entry for Sept. 19, 2005
Did you grow this in the ground or in a pot? I am interested in growing them in the ground and would like to know how they do. Very nice plant and picture! I hear that some are hardy but often don't get enough heat to bloom well.
Dee M, This and several other Hedychiums I have are all grown in-ground. They're located in an open area of the garden and not in a "hot" spot. They bloom regularly this way from August thru September. Leave the frosted and dead tops on thru winter. Cutting these stems allows rain water down into the rhizomes which can rot them. Avoid heavy soil in the planting area as drainage is paramount during the winter rain. Regular and sometimes daily watering in summer coupled with fertilizing, creates a nice display. Cheers.
The clump from which these pictures were taken is grown in-ground. I agree, drainage is the key. In our location, we do have prolonged spells with temperatures down to -10C at times. So, I give it added protection - a 2 inch polystyrene insulating board, sealed around the edges with garden soil. Because I need to have the location as flat as possible, I do cut off the stems, but use the material to mulch over before covering with the polystyrene board. The polystyrene does keep it dry. However, I do keep several divisions potted up and stashed away in the cool greenhouse for insurance, as I doubt it will survive temperatures at -20C, which we experienced on one cold snap back a few years ago.
-20 degrees celcius!!! (-4 Fahrenheit) Wow...that sure is much colder than anything I thought was possible down this way. That surely would have killed any of the palms growing around your area, along with many other well established plants of varying types. I've lived in this region since '69 and can't recall that kind of cold. Mind you, I haven't lived where you do (most likely).
Thanks for the information. I have the White Butterfly Ginger and I am going to try it outside, probably not next winter but when the plant gets big enough to divide so I can keep one inside as insurance.
