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Summary
Bloom Color: White. Main Bloom Time: Early summer, Early fall, Late summer, Late spring, Mid summer, Mid fall. Form: Upright or erect.
Physical Characteristics
Hedychium coronarium is a PERENNIAL growing to 1.5 m (5ft) by 1 m (3ft 3in) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 9 and is frost tender. It is in flower from August to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs).
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist or wet soil.
UK Hardiness Map
US Hardiness Map
Synonyms
Habitats
Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Bog Garden; Cultivated Beds; South Wall. By. West Wall. By.
Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Flowers
Edible Uses:
Young buds and flowers are eaten or used as a flavouring[177, 183]. Root - cooked. A famine food used when all else fails[177].
References More on Edible Uses
Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Antirheumatic Aromatic Carminative Febrifuge Stomachic Tonic
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].
References More on Medicinal Uses
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Other Uses
Essential Paper
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].
Special Uses
Scented Plants
References More on Other Uses
Cultivation details
Landscape Uses:Border, Container, Ground cover, Massing. 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]. Special Features:
Not North American native, Naturalizing, Attracts butterflies, Fragrant flowers, Attractive flowers or blooms.
References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information
Temperature Converter
Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:
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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.
Other Names
If available other names are mentioned here
Native Plant Search
Search over 900 plants ideal for food forests and permaculture gardens. Filter to search native plants to your area. The plants selected are the plants in our book 'Plants For Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens, as well as plants chosen for our forthcoming related books for Tropical/Hot Wet Climates and Mediterranean/Hot Dry Climates. Native Plant Search
Found In
Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available
Weed Potential
Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section.
Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :
Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.
Expert comment
Author
J.König.
Botanical References
200266
Links / References
For a list of references used on this page please go here
Readers comment
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