JungleSeeds

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Ginger Lilies

A fascinating group of plants that I have been growing for about 30 years, in particular the Hedychiums. The strong rhizomatic root systems throw annual shoots to 6ft, topped by a dense head of flowers in late summer which look and smell gorgeous. Some are fully hardy and others, given a warm south facing wall with a protective mulch in winter, will survive reasonable frosts. The more tender varieties may not reach flowering maturity outside cultivated this way though. The alternative is to dig them up and keep in a frost free greenhouse or conservatory, starting into growth in early spring. To flower well they will need at least a 12 litre pot when mature.

Caulokaempferia sikkimensis

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Orchid Ginger 10 seeds ■●җ җ

Caulokaempferia sikkimensis, the Orchid Ginger, is a rare and unusual member of the family with medium-sized bright-green paddle-shaped foliage and an extremely beautiful small white and pink flower that arises directly from the soil. This ginger flowers late in the season in the UK, usually not appearing until September or even October before the first frosts start to cut back the leaves. An exciting and not especially hard to grow, it deserves to be more widely cultivated only requiring a warm sheltered south-facing aspect and a fertile but well drained humus-rich soil. Caulokaempferia can also be grown in a container and kept under glass in a cool greenhouse or conservatory keeping dry during the winter months. It relatively modest size compared to the taller more vigorously growing Hedychiums makes it a good choice for container growing with exotic foliage and a beautiful flower.

Cautleya gracilis

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Himalayan Ginger 10 seeds ■●җ җ җ

Cautleya gracilis is a hardy himalayan ginger suitable for undergrowth planting in leaf mould litter. Winter dormant emerging with 2ft stems in the spring bearing clusters of yellow bracts and flowers, spreading via the underground rhizomes.

Cautleya lutea

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Himalayan Ginger 10 seeds ■●җ җ җ

Cautleya lutea is a pretty hardy ginger suitable for undergrowth planting in leaf mould litter. Winter dormant emerging with 2ft stems in the spring bearing clusters of red bracts and yellow flowers, spreading via the underground rhizomes.

Cautleya spicata

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Himalayan Ginger 10 seeds ■●җ җ җ

Another hardy ginger suitable for undergrowth planting in leaf mould litter, Cautleya spicata is winter dormant, emerging with 2ft stems in the spring bearing clusters of maroon bracts and yellow flowers.

Costus lima

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Spiral Ginger 10 seeds ■●

A lovely spiral ginger very similar to barbatus but the flower bracts do not have the yellow flowers showing through. A good foliage plant for tropical effect and popular in tropical regions.

Costus scaber

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Spiral Ginger 10 seeds ■●

This member of the Costus family is native to tropical America and quite a stunning. Costus scaber is a small ginger with spiralling, leafy shoots holding terminal, bright red inflorescences that later open their bracts to reveal nicely contrasting, white fruits. It is easily grown in the tropical garden or in pots in a warm greenhouse.

Costus speciosa

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Crepe Ginger 10 seeds ■●җ җ

Costus speciosa is a tall spiral type ginger very similar to the Costus barbatus plants that we sell but this one has large 4" white crepe type flowers that emerge from the central cone. A tough fairly hardy ginger at the root level and easy to grow with attractive tropical leaves. New shoots emerge from the root stock at regular intervals and in the tropics it would create a 3ft wide 8ft tall clump in a year! Smaller to 6ft in pots, we think, but at the moment this is new to us as well. It is suggested that this plant is hardy to -15C at the root level. Our seed comes from India and is from hardy stock and I cannot wait to trial this plant outside!

Etlingera elatoir Mixed

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Torch Ginger 10 seeds ■●

Syn Nicolai elatoir - A huge, very tropical ginger used for flower arranging throughout much of the tropics. With 14ft leaf stems it is a challenge for the UK but what a flower! The flower stalks grow separately from the leaves directly out of the root stock to around 3 or 4ft. So if the large leaf stems are kept pruned the plant is manageable in a heated conservatory or greenhouse.

Etlingera venusta

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Malay Rose 10 seeds ■●

To raise one of these spectacular gingers to flowering size you will need a tropical greenhouse or conservatory. The flowers are long lasting and used as a cut flower in the Tropics. Etlingera venusta or Malay rose has arching 6-8 foot leaves and lovely porcelain pink and white basal inflorescences from 1-2 feet tall. The pink and white "petals" are actually bracts, which later reveal small true flowers inside.

Globba winitii

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Dancing Ladies Ginger 10 seeds

An excellent and unusual pot plant with many spidery sprays of purple flowers. This ginger dies back in the winter, with new shoots emerging from the underground rhizomes the following spring. Native to South-east Asia, these herbaceous perennials flower from July to November, and the picture does not capture their real beauty.

Hedychium coccineum

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Red Ginger Lily 10 seeds ■●җ җ

A red flowered form of the Hedychium, fairly hardy and robust with good flowers but not scented. (A parent of Hedychium tara which is a much improved hybrid and scented)

Hedychium deceptum

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Syn Rubrum Red Ginger Lily 10 seeds ■●җ

A wonderful red Hedychium with a soft fragrant flower considered to be the best red form often referred to as Rubrum. Best in partial shade as the flowers will fade in the sun more to orange. A shorter variety to about a meter high with quite large flowers.

Hedychium densifolium

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Hardy Ginger 10 Seeds ■●җ җ җ

This is a useful hardy ginger, hardy in all parts of the UK at the root level. Treat it as a clumping border perennial plant. Each year it will throw 3ft spikes topped by orange flower spikes about 4” long in August/September.

Hedychium ellipticum

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Shaving Brush Ginger 10 seeds ■●җ

Hedychium ellipticum also comes from Himalaya suggesting that it might take a slight frost. Attractive typical Hedychium foliage bearing magnificent terminal inflorescences, densely packed with white flowers and long orange filaments. A very unusual ginger that needs semi shade to prevent leaf scorch and to see the flowers at their best.

Hedychium gardnerianum

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Kahili Ginger 10 seeds ■●җ

Hedychium gardnerianum is a spectacular plant and in a large clump with several flowers the effect is stunning with a scent almost overpowering. Flower heads are about a foot tall and some 6" across, yellow with red stamens on top of 5ft stems. I have not met anybody who hasn't fallen in love with this plant when shown a specimen in full flower.

Hedychium griffithianum

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Himalaya Ginger 10 seeds ■●җ

Hedychium griffithianum or Syn H gracilis is a tough ginger from the Himalaya and probably hardy in mild areas but best grown under cover to accommodate the late flowers. These are borne in attractive spidery white cluster with salmon filaments carrying a mild scent in the evenings. A delicate shorter thin leaved variety to 3ft.

Hedychium spicatum

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Spiked Ginger Lily 10 seeds ■●җ җ җ

Hedychium spicatum, one of the hardiest, although not the most spectacular of Hedychiums, is one of the most floriferous for the open garden with slightly scented flowers. Short to 3ft to 4ft which makes it a worth while plant for the herbaceous border. Large clusters of white flowers with orange filaments that are larger than Forestii with spikes to 12” tall.

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Symbol Codes

Germination -- Easy ■ Moderate ■ and Challenging ■

Backlog for Fresh Seed ♦ Flavour ♪

Hardiness - To -5°C җ To -10°C җҗ Fully Hardy җҗҗ

Needs Shady Position ● Sunny Position ● Water Loving ♥