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Zingiberaceae

This is a large family of aromatic perennials. Go up one in the family tree and you have Zingiberales which include Canna and Banana plants. You will find Gingers are both tender and hardy. I will discuss the ones that I grow. The Hedychiums flower reliably year after year in my garden. Just like Forestii opposite which is flowering now 9 August 2018. It grows to about 5 feet or so. These I grow from my own seed and by division. I spoke to soon as Hedychium Elizabeth and Cautleya Spicata did not flower in 2020 which may have been affected by the heat. 

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The hair colour ginger came into being due a firery red ginger which was apparently likened to the personality of ginger haired folk.

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For some reason in the 4th century AD the letter Z was commonly replaced by G and with various mutations like Zingiber to Gingiber and eventually Ginger became the common name for the Zingiberaceae family.

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Hedychium Forestii 2018

Hedychiums

Coronarium

Densiflorum Stephen

Densiflorum

Disney

Dr Moy

Elizabeth

Forestii

Spicatum

Tara ( see below )

Gardnerianum

The name derives from two greek words Hedys - Sweet and Chion - Snow. It is a hard CH in Hedychium.
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So many Gingers to choose from with c80 known species. The plants above grow in my garden year after year. They are all extremely hardy. At the end of the year search online @ HimalyanGardens and JungleSeeds which I use regularly. You get mixed results from these suppliers. Always report back to your suppliers with good/bad results. Not all seed/corms germinate/grow and I have found that some corms may not grow for a year or two so do not throw them away eg Curcuma Longa purchased at a plant fair at Hyde Hall, took three years to grow and flower which it did in 2018. Beware that by February/March time some plant material may have sold out.

Others that I grow

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Curcuma Longa ( opposite ), which is also the source of Tumeric.

Curcuma 'Pink Wonder',

Zingiber Mioga ' Dancing Crane', Zingiber Officianale ( the edible one ), Cautleya Spicata

Cautleya Gracillis Lautea

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CURCUMA_edited.jpg
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Hedychium Tara above. The first year it has produced three stems/flowers. Usually been two. In flower Aug 18.
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Hedychium Elizabeth in flower late Sept 18. It failed to flower in 2020 maybe due to the heat.
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