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I grew these little plants from seed in 2006, but I am not convinced that they are going to survive the winter - I was hoping that they would
have produced some taller growth and a small rhizome, but I think these are so tiny they will dessicate. I was right about the tiny seedlings - they didn't make it. This is a rhizome I bought a few years later and it has been surprisingly hardy. So surprising that I am not sure it is correctly named, but if it isn't Zingiber chrysanthum then I have no idea what it is (though I suspect it is a Hedychium). Plants of the World online says: "The native range of this species is Himalaya to Myanmar. It is a perennial or rhizomatous geophyte and grows primarily in the subtropical biome." Himalayan Gardens say: "Flowers in summer and goes dormant during winters. Inflorescence at ground and stems reach up to 4 feet in height .Bracts cover flower buds. Flowers on short peduncles with lips dotted red. Colour of flowers variable from orange to yellow. Seed capsules develop into brilliant red colour and lasts for a long time on the plant much after the stem has die down." Tejas Tropical say (quoted on Plant Lust): "Zingiber chrysanthum is a species found in Sikkim and northeastern India. It grows to about four feet tall with typical Zingiber foliage. Given its origins it is very cold hardy and performs well in zones 7 and warmer. The flowers emerge from bracts at or slightly underground. The base color is pale yellow with dark red veins and a bright yellow crest. If the flowers are pollinated dark red seed pods will develop at the base of the plant and when ripe split open to reveal vivid red interiors with bright white pulp. This is one of the most attractive displays of this ginger." |
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| 14th November 2006 | ||
