Grow Tropical Ginger Lily for Late-Season Flowers

Ginger Lily Care and Growing Tips

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• Hedychium spp.
• Zones 8 to 11
• Light needs: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil: Moist, well-draining soils
• Attracts: Hummingbirds, butterflies, bees

Ginger lily plants offer lush tropical foliage throughout summer, followed by a display of showy flowers in August and September—just when most of your garden is winding down. They prefer moist, rich (but not soggy) soil with organic matter mixed in and are generally hardy only in Zones 8 to 11. They do need regular watering to grow their best.

Gardeners in the South specialize in growing several types of ginger lilies that come in a variety of colors, including white, yellow and salmon.

In zones where they are hardy, these perennial plants grow into clumps that you can divide in spring. For your own personal backyard paradise, plant them alongside crocosmia, canna and brugmansia.

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Overwintering Ginger Lilies

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But northern gardeners shouldn’t fret. You can still enjoy these tropical plants and their heavenly scent even if you aren’t within their hardiness zone. In cold areas, the tubers can be overwintered indoors and then replanted in spring just like dahlias. Dig them up before the ground freezes and keep them in a dry, cool spot, such as an unheated garage or greenhouse, until after the last frost date for your area has passed. Or you can grow your ginger lily in a large container and overwinter it as a houseplant.

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Ginger Lily Facts

According to Clemson University Extension, ginger lilies are not true lilies, but are distantly related to ginger root. The tubers are edible. Another fun fact is that the richly fragrant flowers are often used to make leis in Hawaii.

Next, find out when red spider lily bulbs bloom.