Butterfly ginger, White ginger lily
Hedychium coronarium

Family: Zingiberaceae

What it is like

An upright herb in the ginger family. It can be 3 m tall and spread to 1 m across. It has rhizomes under the ground. The leaves do not have stalks. The leaves are long pointed and sword shaped. They can be 20-40 cm long by 4.5-8 cm wide and are mid green in colour. They are downy underneath. The flowers are butterfly like and white. The flowers occur around stalks on the top of the plant. These flower clusters can be 10-20 cm long by 4-8 cm wide. There are 2-3 flowers and they have a sweet smell.

There are about 50 Hedychium species. It is also grown as an ornamental and for medicine. It can be invasive.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It suits moist and dry seasonal climates. It needs fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil. It needs morning sun or bright shade. It grows in forests and is also cultivated in S China. It grows up to 2,500 m above sea level. It is used on the Deccan in India. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 1,200 m above sea level. In Hobart Botanical gardens. It suits hardiness zones 7-12. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Andamans, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Belize, Bhutan, Bolivia, Brazil, Caribbean, Central America, China (country/location of origin), Colombia, Cook Is., Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Eswatini, Fiji, French Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas (country/location of origin), Honduras, India (country/location of origin), Indochina, Indonesia, Jamaica, Korea, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mariana Islands, Marquesas, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, New Caledonia, New Zealand, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Rotuma, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, Sikkim, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South America, Southern Africa, Sri Lanka, St Helena, St Lucia, Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tasmania, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad-Tobago, USA, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Wallis & Futuna, West Africa, West Indies

How it is used for food

The young rhizomes and soft shoots are cooked and eaten as a vegetable. They are blanched and served with chili sauce. The flowers are cooked and eaten as a vegetable. They are usually stewed or stir fried.

The rhizomes are sold in markets. The plant has been introduced to Papua New Guinea. It is similar to Gorgor.

Edible parts

Flowers - flavouring, tubers, rhizomes, root, shoots

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds, offsets or division of the rhizome.

Its other names

Local names

A ci a ye, Banay, Bottlebrush ginger, Bunga bet, Butterfly flower, Daihenghao, Dudh kewaraa, Gandasuli, Garland flower, Ginger Lily, Gondasuli, Hun kaeo, Jiang hua, Kamia, Karankaa, Katkatan, Lok-lei, Loklei, Maha-hongse, Mahaahong, Mandasuli, Mir tado akelok, Ngwe-pan, Shekra bu, Sinser, Suli, Takhellei, Tha haan, Thahern, Tunun, White ginger

Synonyms

Amomum filiforme Hunter ex Ridl.; Hedychium chrysoleucum Hook.; Hedychium coronarium var. baimao Z.Y.Zhu; amd others