I don't think you have to do that. Most "butterfly gingers" (Hedychiums) are root hardy in zone 7

I am wondering if Hedychium greenii might be possible to root from stem cuttings. It is well known for producing plantlets at the base of the inflorescense, but yesterday I noticed something new... I had cut off the inflorescence with the the plantlets on a few of them several weeks ago. Yesterday I noticed plantlets forming at the base of the LEAF NODES about a foot BELOW where the inflo had been cut off. Anyone else ever seen this?

Hedychiums can be rooted from stem cuttings. However, unlike Costus cuttings, you really need to use the entire stem and they are nowhere near as easy or reliable as Costus. Zingiber can be done this way too. I imagine others will work to, just nobody has tried them all yet. You can take a stem and lay it flat with an inch of mulch over it and then just wait. I don't do this often, but it does work. Its also good to pull back most of the leaf sheaths. Globba stem cuttings work too and are probably the easiest behind Costus. I've heard in passing that alpinia have been done, but never have seen or tried this in person.

As for the H. greenii, I've never seen it or others make plantlets like this while still attached to the rhizome (the stem that is). I'd be surprised to see this on a normal Hedychium... but greenii is a freak, so not unbelieavable. Its pretty much the same thing going on when you think about it... similar to the way most bulbil producing Globba make the bulbils on the inflorescence, but there are some that make the bulbils all down the stem.

Tim Chapman

Any plant we lay down like you mentioned, starts growing! Here, Butterfly Ginger is considered a 'weed'. Not to me,though. I think it's one of the best gingers around. Just joined, this site.

what a bout beehive ginger

My greenii used to do that whenever it bloomed but it was always late in the year and the keikis never survived the winter. That's my only ginger that would do that.