Hedychium gardnerianum – Kahili Ginger

Hedychium gardnerianum - Kahili Ginger, Kahila Garland-lily (flower spike)

Hedychium gardnerianum - Kahili Ginger, Kahila Garland-lily (flowers)

Hedychium gardnerianum - Kahili Ginger, Kahila Garland-lily (fruit and seeds)

Hedychium gardnerianum - Kahili Ginger, Kahila Garland-lily (fruit)

Plant Name

Scientific Name: Hedychium gardnerianum

Common Names: Kahili Ginger, Kahila Garland-lily

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial

Growth Habit: Herb/Forb

Hawaii Native Status: Introduced. This naturalized ornamental garden plant is native to the Himalayas.

Flower Color: Yellow

Flowering Season: Summer to fall

Height: To 6 feet (1.8 m) tall

Description: The flower spikes are up to 18 inches (46 cm) tall, cylindrical in shape, and very showy with numerous flowers blooming at the same time. The individual flowers have 3 slender sepals, 3 petals, and long, orange-red stamens. The flowers are followed by fleshy, orange seed capsules that split open into 3 segments to reveal fleshy, red seeds. From a distance, the fruits look like a spike of orange flowers. The pseudostems (formed by the leaf sheaths) emerge from underground rhizomes. The leaf blades are bright green in color and narrowly oval in shape.

Here in Hawaii, Kahili Ginger is an invasive weed in moist areas, and it's especially a problem in rainforests and along roadsides. Fruit-eating birds are responsible for spreading the seeds.

Special Characteristics

Fragrant – The flowers have a delightfully sweet fragrance.

Classification

Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Liliopsida – Monocotyledons
Subclass: Zingiberidae
Order: Zingiberales
Family: Zingiberaceae – Ginger family
Genus: Hedychium J. Koenig – garland-lily
Species: Hedychium gardnerianum Shepard ex Ker Gawl. – Kahila garland-lily

More About This Plant

Hawaii County Distribution Map