Hedychium coronarium

Hedychium coronarium, the white garland-lily or white ginger lily, is a perennial flowering plant in the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It is native to the forest understorey of Asia. Other common names include butterfly lily, Khumpui, fragrant garland flower, Indian garland flower, white butterfly ginger lily, and white ginger.

Description

An upright herb in the ginger family. It can be 3 m tall and spread to 1 m across. It has rhizomes under the ground. The leaves do not have stalks. The leaves are long pointed and sword shaped. They can be 20-40 cm long by 4.5-8 cm wide and are mid green in colour. They are downy underneath. The flowers are butterfly like and white. The flowers occur around stalks on the top of the plant. These flower clusters can be 10-20 cm long by 4-8 cm wide. There are 2-3 flowers and they have a sweet smell.

Edible Uses

Young buds and flowers can be eaten or used as a flavouring. The root can be cooked, though it is regarded as a famine food for use when other options are unavailable.

Traditional Uses

The young rhizomes and soft shoots are cooked and eaten as a vegetable. They are blanched and served with chili sauce. The flowers are cooked and eaten as a vegetable. They are usually stewed or stir fried.

Medicinal Uses

The seed is aromatic, carminative, and stomachic. The root is antirheumatic, excitant, and tonic, and the ground rhizome is used as a febrifuge. An essential oil from the roots is carminative and has anthelmintic indications. The plant has also been used as a remedy for foetid nostril.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It suits moist and dry seasonal climates. It needs fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil. It needs morning sun or bright shade. It grows in forests and is also cultivated in S China. It grows up to 2,500 m above sea level. It is used on the Deccan in India. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 1,200 m above sea level. In Hobart Botanical gardens. It suits hardiness zones 7-12. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Where It Grows

Africa, Andamans, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Belize, Bhutan, Bolivia, Brazil, Caribbean, Central America, China*, Colombia, Cook Is., Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Eswatini, Fiji, French Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas*, Honduras, India*, Indochina, Indonesia, Jamaica, Korea, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mariana Islands, Marquesas, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, New Caledonia, New Zealand, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Palau, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Paraguay, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Rotuma, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, Sikkim, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South America, Southern Africa, Sri Lanka, St Helena, St Lucia, Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tasmania, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad-Tobago, USA, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Wallis & Futuna, West Africa, West Indies,

Cultivation

Requires a rich moist soil and a sunny position. It succeeds in shallow water and can also be grown in a sunny border as a summer sub-tropical bedding plant. 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. The flowers have a delicious perfume which is most pronounced towards evening. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits. The tubers should be only just covered by soil.

Propagation

Sow seed as soon as it is ripe in a warm greenhouse at 18°C. Prick out seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle and grow on in the greenhouse for at least the first winter. Plant out in late spring after the last expected frosts. Divide clumps as growth begins in spring by digging them up and cutting through with a sharp spade or knife, ensuring each division has a growing shoot. Larger divisions can go directly into permanent positions, but smaller ones are best potted up and grown on in a greenhouse until established, then planted out in summer or the following late spring.

Other Uses

The stems contain 43–48% cellulose and are useful for paper-making. An essential oil obtained from the flowers is valued in high-grade perfumes. The roots yield 1.7% essential oil, which is used medicinally.

Other Information

The rhizomes are sold in markets. The plant has been introduced to Papua New Guinea. It is similar to Gorgor.

Notes

There are about 50 Hedychium species. It is also grown as an ornamental and for medicine. It can be invasive.

Synonyms

Also Known As

A ci a ye, Banay, Bottlebrush ginger, Bunga bet, Butterfly flower, Daihenghao, Dudh kewaraa, Gandasuli, Garland flower, Ginger Lily, Gondasuli, Hun kaeo, Jiang hua, Kamia, Karankaa, Katkatan, Lok-lei, Loklei, Maha-hongse, Mahaahong, Mandasuli, Mir tado akelok, Ngwe-pan, Shekra bu, Sinser, Suli, Takhellei, Tha haan, Thahern, Tunun, White ginger

References (53)

• Alimenticias - FloraSBS
• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 257
• Brickell, C. (Ed.), 1999, The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. Convent Garden Books. p 500
• Burkill, H. M., 1985, The useful plants of west tropical Africa, Vol. 3. Kew.
• Burkill, I.H., 1966, A Dictionary of the Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula. Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vol 1 (A-H) p 1146

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