Hedychium is a genus of flowering plants in the ginger family Zingiberaceae, native to lightly wooded habitats in Asia. There are approximately 70-80 known species, native to India, Southeast Asia, and Madagascar. Some species have become widely naturalized in other lands, and considered invasive in some places.
The genus name Hedychium is derived from two ancient Greek words, meaning "sweet" and meaning "snow". This refers to the fragrant white flower of the type species H. coronarium. Common names include garland flower, ginger lily, and kahili ginger.
Members of the genus Hedychium are rhizomatous perennials, commonly growing tall. Some species are cultivated for their exotic foliage and fragrant spikes of flowers in shades of white, yellow and orange. Numerous cultivars have been developed for garden use, of which 'Tara' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Though reasonably hardy down to , it requires a sheltered position and a deep mulch in winter.
Species
Hedychium aureum
Hedychium biflorum
Hedychium bijiangense
Hedychium bipartitum
Hedychium boloveniorum
Hedychium bordelonianum
Hedychium borneense
Hedychium bousigonianum
Hedychium brevicaule
Hedychium calcaratum
Hedychium champasakense
Hedychium chayanianum
Hedychium chingmeianum
Hedychium coccineum
Hedychium collinum
Hedychium convexum
Hedychium coronarium
Hedychium cylindricum
Hedychium deceptum
Hedychium densiflorum
Hedychium dichotomatum
Hedychium efilamentosum
Hedychium elatum
Hedychium ellipticum
Hedychium elwesii
Hedychium erythrostemon
Hedychium flavescens
Hedychium flavum
Hedychium forrestii
Hedychium gardnerianum
Hedychium glabrum
Hedychium glaucum
Hedychium gomezianum
Hedychium gracile
Hedychium gracillimum
Hedychium gratum
Hedychium greenii
Hedychium griersonianum
Hedychium griffithianum
Hedychium hasseltii
Hedychium hirsutissimum
Hedychium hookeri
Hedychium horsfieldii
Hedychium intermedium
Hedychium khaomaenense
Hedychium kwangsiense
Hedychium larsenii
Hedychium lineare
Hedychium longicornutum
Hedychium longipedunculatum
Hedychium longipetalum
Hedychium luteum
Hedychium macrorrhizum
Hedychium malayanum
Hedychium marginatum
Hedychium matthewii
Hedychium menghaiense
Hedychium menglianense
Hedychium muanwongyathiae
Hedychium muluense
Hedychium nagamiense
Hedychium neocarneum
Hedychium nutantiflorum
Hedychium paludosum
Hedychium parvibracteatum
Hedychium pauciflorum
Hedychium peregrinum
Hedychium philippinense
Hedychium phuluangense
Hedychium poilanei
Hedychium puerense
Hedychium putaoense
Hedychium pynursulaeanum
Hedychium qingchengense
Hedychium radiatum
Hedychium raoi
Hedychium robustum
Hedychium roxburghii
Hedychium samuiense
Hedychium satyanarayanum
Hedychium siamense
Hedychium simaoense
Hedychium sirirugsae
Hedychium speciosum
Hedychium spicatum
Hedychium stenopetalum
Hedychium tenellum
Hedychium tengchongense
Hedychium thaianum
Hedychium thyrsiforme
Hedychium tienlinense
Hedychium tomentosum
Hedychium venustum
Hedychium villosum
Hedychium viridibracteatum
Hedychium wardii
Hedychium ximengense
Hedychium yungjiangense
Hedychium yunnanense
Taxonomy and phylogeny
In 2000, Tom Wood et al. published the first phylogeny of the genus Hedychium represented by 29 taxa.
Reproductive biology
Hedychium has multiple modes of reproduction: sexual, via rhizomes and via bulbils. Some species of Hedychium are reported to exhibit facultative vivipary.