I have a Hedychium 'Elizabeth' that I bought from PDN this past spring. It must be over 8' by now. I believe it to be the tallest one that they sell.

... and to add that most Etlingeras are also not cold hardy.

My Hedychium that was sent as H. ellipticum just today opened its first flowers this year, and it didn't occur to me last year when it bloomed, but it is similar to Elizabeth. Has that same color and is a tall plant too. Your Elizabeth is over 8"?!?! WOW! I just noticed that my pradhanii has its first open flowers today too.

Zeta, I wish I could grow any Etlingera in the ground here!
That would be amazing.

I was suprised that it grew so well in only a few months. It was only around 3 feet when I bought it. I gave it lots of water, and fertilizer early this summer. I have it beside the house, and when my walnut trees got their leaves the ginger got shaded out, but it still shot up like a champ. Because of the lack of sun (I'm assuming) it only has a couple buds as of right now. I'm going to have to move it next year. As long as I get to see a couple flowers this year, I'll be happy. This is my first ginger, and I have to say that I am impressed with the foilage alone.

my coccineum is between 9-10 ft tall. this year has been the best year for gingers with over a foot of rain in june. i have never seen coccineum this tall and never thought it would reach that height.

kahili is 8-9 ft and in full bloom now. kewense is close behind at 7 ft. ill post a pic, but i need something for scale. ill try to get a better pic tomorrow.

hedychium maximum is 7-8 ft and gorgeous.....as is aurantiacum.

costus speciosus will get 8-9 ft.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Wow!! what a beauty!! Reminds me of Hawaii or Mexico!!!! Do they all smell good??? Thank you for sharing your pictures. Bellie

Wade what is the coldest temp you've had in the last 5 years? For me it is 9F, winter before last. Hedychiums are by far the best genus to use in large numbers because of hardiness. I have 8 different ones and all have survived a minimum of four years. I would love to try all those you are growing as well, especially the Costus. My pradhanii with only two stems now(transplanted this spring),one in full bloom, as a backdrop to Daniel Weeks and Pink Flame, it makes that corner of my garden!

GAAlan, I have heard others have a mislabeled Hedychium ellipitum. Elizabeth is pink, ellipitum is white/cream. And the flower is spidery.
If you have one like the picture below of plantaholics. I would be interested in a trade.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Sadly, overlooked in this discussion of tall Gingers, especially since the discussion has turned to tall Hedychium, is Hedychium stenopetalum. I know Tim has it available, not many websites besides his, if any will have it available. But in terms of Hedychium it will be HUGE by comparison.

Scott

All of my hedychiums have grown to epic heights this season. I have Pink V, ELizabeth, that are over 8 ft. Dr Moy is large too.

In the greenhouse, I have Etlingeras that are at 16-20ft. My Costus Green Mountain got 6 ft this year, I have a Costus barbatus that's about 9 ft and Costus stenophyllus that's about 10 ft.

Hayes, I'm sorry I called you Wade, I had someone else in mind as I was typing my post. I thought about it while I was at work and realized I'd typed in the wrong name. So sorry about that!

Scott, I was not aware of the existence of H. stenopetalum.
If it is HUGE by comparison to other species, sounds like one I'd like to have! What other hardy gingers do you grow that get big? What is the URL for Tim's site?

Bihai, any chance you could trade for a piece of your Etlingera? Can it be divided? I'd love to try a truly big ginger! Email me privately if you're interested.

Our native Hornstedtia grows to around 12 ft high but not as tall as the Etlingerias in my garden.

Andrew.

I just cannot imagine growing any ginger that is 12' or taller. Andrew if you have Etlingeras as well as your Hornstedtia, your garden must be amazing. Any chance you have pictures we could see? One thing I have noticed about many of the Etlingeras is you hardly ever see a photo of the plants themselves, just the flower. I bet its hard to get a good picture of something that big.

For the biggest of the big when it comes to gingers you should check out some of the south Pacific species of Alpinia. I forget the name of the species at the moment, but they can reach upwards of 50 feet (15m. for the non-Americans out there)!

I've heard Lyon Arb. has one of the species, but I haven't been there so I can't say for sure. Unfortunately for ginger growers I believe they are too cold sensitive to be grown in the US (outside Hawaii), and since almost no one has them in cultivation you probably can't get them even if you have the right climate and space. But if you could grow it, it would certainly be quite a conversation piece!

-Kyle

The tallest one I have seen is Alpinia elegans - or at least that is how it has been identified - at Fairchild Gardens. I have a picture at the link below of David Bar-Zvi and Enid Offolter (of Natural Selections Exotics) standing in front of the plant. It looks to be nearly three times as tall as they are. Perhaps this is one of the species you were thinking of, Kyle.

Here is a link that might be useful: Alpinia elegans at Fairchild Gardens

kyle

It is Alpinia carolinensis. Do a search on google. From the pictures, it seems to dwarf the tallest Etlingeras (20 feet)

now if anyone has a source of this plant, I can be contacted privately.

Gaalan
go to my photo album "Etlingera pink" to see the full size - 6 ft only after one and half year (picture taken march 2004) http://photos.yahoo.com/cmforum2000

and go directly to Tim's &/or Bihai's website
Lukmee

Alpinia carolinensis is the one, and it is in a few private collections in the US Calvin. I'll check on that for you. Its one of those things that doesn't do me much good to grow!! In singapore I'm sure it would do much better!

A. elegans is also a beautiful plant though. It is a giant though not nearly as tall as the above. I was surprised to see such a small inflor. and blooms on it when I saw the plants at Fairchild. Its got a really neat foliage habit as well, with all of the leaves pointing downwards. Anyone near fairchild gardens should check them out someday.

As for cold hardy gingers, my favorite taller ones are Costus speciosus (though it takes a few years to establish a large enough clump) which can get over 8 feet as well and Curcuma elata which can get to 8 feet as well. Several hedychiums can get to those heights in time and of course some of the species mentioned already are known for being that tall. Alpinia zerumbet can get taller than all of these in the right conditions.

Tim Chapman

I have a form of Costus lacerus that grows taller than C. speciosus - I have it growing over 9 feet tall. It also has quite sturdy stalks, and was one of the few tall gingers in my garden that withstood Hurricane Frances (which hit Tallahassee directly, but had downgraded by then to a tropical storm). We are anxiously watching to see what Ivan will do. Somehow I doubt any of my gingers will stay upright if we get a direct hit from that one.

My tallest is about 3' but I don't know the name of it. Can anyone ID it for me?

Thanks, Suz

50'!!!!!!! I simply had no idea that any ginger even approached that height! Can you imagine having someone in your garden and asking the name of that tree?!?! That is just astounding!! I think I'd knock my house down and live in box if it took that to make room for one!:)

Thanks for the link to your pictures Lukmee. Your Etlingera is looking down on your house already! Your Heliconias are gorgeous too.

Not my tallest but the most amazing fragrance. And a peachy coral that looks like chiffon. The photo is a little too light.
Dr. Moy

Very nice plant Louise. Any chance the good doctor could make a house call over here?!? Looks like they should have held the tropical tour at your house!! What other gingers do you have?

Suz, your plant is most likely Hedychium coronarium. Isn't the fragrance great!

If you mean do I have any to trade. Yes I do. Multiplies fast.
I tend to collect plants also. So I have lots of different gingers. Costus, Alpinias, Hedychiums and a few others.
If you want to take a drive out this way I'll give you some that I already have in pots. I've got way too much of everything to overwinter.
Excess plants. Just some of them.

Cactusfreak,Your gingers are awesome,as well as your other plants.I am a newbe at growing gingers.Which ones do you recommend for a beginner? I have a small greenhouse and could winter them over.Any info appreciated.

Digger66, Hedychiums will be hardy in your zone. And are the easiest to grow.
The white Butterfly ginger Hedychium cororanium is the most common.
Also a few Costus and Curcuma are hardy in zone 8. You can over winter the Alpinias in a garage or greenhouse.
Check out Gingersrus.com for growing information.

Here is a link that might be useful: White butterfly ginger

WOW.. I loved your pictures!! I have butterfly ginger (white). It grew tall about four feet tall this year. I cut it down today and put them indoor and sitting underlight because I wanted to feeling tropcial in cold winter time.

Cactusfreak, I would love have one of your yellow or other color butterfly which I have been wanting to have it for my collection. Smile..

Kat

My hedychium coronarium is now well over eight feet tall, in its second year of growth, and is just now starting to bud out. I wintered it over in a cold greenhouse.

I noticed that many of you are talking about gingers that have reached well over 10 feet tall, but that they might only be hardy in zones 9, 10 or 11. The original question asked about the tallest HARDY gingers ...and was posted from a gardener in a zone 8 climate zone.

I live in a zone 7a climate (Fredericksburg, Va.) and was wondering if any of these gingers will even survive in my climate zone? And are any of them evergreen ...or will they at least hold their foliage well below 32 degrees F? Is it possible for me to amend my soil (adding sand and organic matter) and pile up the mulch to overwinter some of these plants that you guys are describing? And if so, where can I purchase these plants in the spring? I especially love the varigated shell gingers (botanical name?) that I have seen growing in homeowner yards in coastal North Carolina. Thanks, Dave.

I can only answer about the Alpinia zerumbet, which in coastal northern California (USDA zone 9b),can easily get to be 12 feet tall before blooming, but usually starts to show freeze damage at much below 29F. A. zerumbet variegata is usually much shorter, only 6 to 7 feet tall, and about the same degree of hardiness here. I am not sure if it would get damaged at 32F if it isn't situated below evergreen trees, as they are in my own garden. You can certainly grow Alpinia zerumbet in colder situations, but expect it to die back, and require heavy mulch to survive. It seems to be a little hardier to frost than H. flavum and H. flavescens, two other tall growing late bloomers that are rather common here in northern California,(and still in bloom in late November here), along with H. gardnerianum. These last three will burn foliage right at freezing temps in my garden, and in warmer falls with mild winters, they remain in bloom thru January.

Awesome discussion here! Thx much.

Almost a year ago we moved to a house with awesome garden potential, but essentially no plantings. Yep bare slate. So I brought things with me from the last yard to kick things off.

Now I'm looking for suggestions for a couple FRAGRANT 4 to 8' tall Hedychium hardy gingers that will grow and flower well here in our z8b Seattle area.

I want marked tropical effect AND need them both quite fragrant and visually exciting. These must be Queen's that hold their own and contribute well in a Canna / Gunnera / Iris area*.

What do you recommend most to try?

_______

Background internet research summary impressions so far:

All Hedychium coronarium and 'Anne Bishop' have the right fragrance profiles, look awesome, but likely won't flower here in time.

'Tara' may have some fragrance after 10 PM, if it is very warm summer, but it's risky and I have several orange canna already visually holding their own.

Having the fragrance potential 'Daniel Weeks' might be an early enough bloomer, but no comments on it yet for PNW. UK expirence suggests densiflorum 'Stephen' is potentially early enough, but only if in a warm sheltered spot. And Aloha Tropicals suggests trying a gardnerianum Kalihi type or H. 'Mutant', but I see no locally reports for either and the Mutant only has small curious flowers.

______

* Garden setting where Hedychium must shine visually ... imagine awesome fragrance wafting** through a late afternoon or evening stroll ... and your nose leads you to tropical, at less expense than going to Hawaii.

GARDEN PHOTOS & DESCRIPTION

Early Summer initial staging in this quadrant:

Late Fall staging so far:

The above center photo Chilean Gunnera, at 5' then, has almost a 12' x 12' romping area ... and I have a machete. The light leaf zone to its right is a Canna 'Stuttgart'. Foreground is a sizable 3' deep fish n frog pond. To it's right (not shown) separate Lotus and tadpole rearing (fishless) zone.

Adjacent to this area also staged for early spring planting, are selected German Iris and Echinacea in a rainbow of colors, staged with shorter types in front (see front right and side and central of photo below). Behind the canna (left) and walkway, snaking along the pathway already planted are Japanese Iris in a bog zone connected to the Gunnera bog pit as water supply.

To the back left of the shed in the sunny empty spot (where a ceramic head sits on a pole now) will be a giant Canna musafolia (reddish form).

Upper right in the above photo shows a Hardy Basjoo Banana, with room for small grove to develop. It grew from 4" pot acquired in May to 4.5' in Ocotober last year and had about 4 offshoots already.

The Banana sits to the left side of a 5' x 15' x 2.5' deep root barrier protected bed with 3 starts of Golden Vivax Timber Bamboo (35 - 50' expected height). The bed runs parallel to a large laurel backdrop framing the rear yard and the walkway,

On the right back corner of the shed photo above, in an afternoon shaded spot, is a hydrangea division of our 12" giant aspera 'Sargentianum'. Photo from last yard below.

There is enough distance between the German Iris bed and shed to have some (already staged to plant) compact (Red) Hot Poker and Crocosmia of different colors, as well as a natural ground path space towa Giant hygrangea and Golden Bamboo and Banana stand pits. The path is edges with smaller select Hydrangea Hosta. Some of the hosts are large, such as 'Komodo Dragon' and 'T. Rex', varigated ('Great Expecations',

or fragrant (plantinga).

To soften the front right corner of the shed is staged a 'Jordan' Full Moon Japanese Maple not yet very large but growing fast here. Its bright golden yellow green summer leaf color and Spring/Fall orange and reddish colors were selected to make one's eye dart between the similar and contrasting colors in this yard quadrant's backdrop.

_______

Recent background internet research effecting the Hedychium decision:

Local landscaping consultants here often state that in our coolish Oceanic Climate only 'Tara' and densiflorum (looking like 'Assam Gold'?) flower reliably, before it gets too cold. Hands down most reliable here (and world wide in northern climates) is 'Tara'. But 'Tara' may not be very fragrant here. And both of these Hedychium are quite orange. I'm afraid my orange canna will over shadow visually. But canna lack fragrance! Guessing 'Tara' is a must try anyway.

Late Summer photo of Canna that will be near any Hedychium selected:

[Yup: hard to beat 'Durban' = 'Phason" = 'Tropicanna' for visual drama! Guess this is why sellers keep re-branding it? It looks great next to the Cardinal Flower 'Starship Scarlett' that I grew from Burpee sourced seeds. Yeah I should rebrand and sell the canna as 'Orange Firefall', 'Starship Class' or 'Dragon King'. Acquired this in one gallon pot in last June and this photo was a same yeat October photo. But I digress ....]

As for fragrant Hedychium potentials already acquired for testing, I was able to find 'Elizabeth' and 'Dr Moy' starters last fall. 'Dr Moy' has neat likely variegated leaves, but might not flower here reliably?

_______

It's not that we lack fragrance in the yard already, but it is in different seasons or areas.

** Other seasonally progressing fragrance elements staged here already:

Late Winter Witch Hazel 'Jelina'. Spring Hyacinth, Poets and Thalia Narcissis, Muscaria and with opposite effect ... Crown Fritillaria and a large PNW Shunk Cabbage in bog planter. Edgeworthia chrysantha 'Nanjing Gold' and Daphne (3 kinds). Winter Jasmine and Honeysuckle on gazebo. Giant Himalayan Lily***. Stock along some walk boarders. Oriental and other tall lilies. White Brugmansia & Nicotinia alata for moongarden near hammock area (wife's favorite mid summer to fall place after work to read). Three powerfully fragrant roses, one climbing 'Zephirine Drouhin' at house front door and 'Secret' and 'Jude the Obscure' near covered back patio off kitchen.

The yard also has 8 kinds of timber bamboo, a great many types of Hydrangea and two very long fence selections with Clematis (you guessed it) of differents kinds and a Golden Hops too.

*** We brought a Cardiocrium giganteum with us that turned out to be Yunnan variety. It surprized us and bloomed 3-4 months later in the transfer tub at 9' tall. It liked the northside of a building in our yard. The colony it is forming has been worked into the yard.

I mention it here because is powerfully fragrant a night. Right after sunset it wafts lily fragrance across the yard. If if air movement is very light you can enjoy it in a 10' wide by length of the yard zone. If you get one, plant it in a protected morning sun courtyard or nook where the fragrance can linger. Bring hammock and light jacket.

-- click photo to engage "wow" effect --

We picked them up locally at a couple different PNW locations a few years ago and lucked out to get both this and the other larger white one too (here at 9' too in a shadier location in our last yard).

Internet photo: understandably I'm pushing the sun and fertilzer more to shoot for its fuller potential.

Disclaimer: they don't grow well away from the mild temperate to subalpine? Himalayan home habitat, unless you have a cool summer mild humid climate.

They work great here in PNW... unlike many Hedychium.

We have a winter 15 - 20 F low range like Austin TX, Gainsville FL, N Georgia. Chile, Rome. Our summer days are longer, but cooler than many other 7a to 8b areas. SF Bay area is 5+F warmer, but again has cool summers. Pacific Ocean w Japanese Current and winter cold wind periods with winds from NW (coming across the Ocean and inland Puget Sound waters) makes us quite maritime.

Our climate thus is much like central to south England or the northern Netherlands. With much of Scotland being a zone or two colder, many of the subtropicals that I strive to grow here won't grow in Scotland.