Kahili Ginger Lily
Hedychium gardnerianum
NEMBA: Category 1b
English: Kahili Ginger Lily, Ginger Lily
Afrikaans: Kahiligemmerlelies
Hedychium gardnerianum, commonly known as Kahili Ginger or Ginger Lily, is a robust herbaceous perennial that grows from rhizomes and can reach heights of 1.5-2 meters. It features large, glossy leaves arranged alternately along the stem and produces showy, fragrant flower spikes up to 45 cm long with yellow flowers and prominent red stamens. The plant's fruits are bright red capsules that split open to reveal orange-red seeds.
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Origins: Himalayas (India, Nepal, Bhutan)
Overall Appearance: An herbaceous perennial with rhizomatous growth reaching 1-3 meters tall and can spread rapidly to form dense thickets.
Leaves: Large, oblong-lanceolate leaves, up to 50 cm (20 inches) long, with prominent parallel veins.
Flowers: Showy, fragrant flowers with white petals and a yellow or orange labellum (lip). from spring to summer.
Fruits: Capsules containing numerous seeds.
Seeds: Numerous, black seeds.
Soil Type: Prefers moist, fertile soils.
Aspect: Shade to partial shade.
Provinces Affected: Widespread in South Africa, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, and Eastern Cape.
Note: Ginger Lily is a highly invasive species in South Africa. It invades forests, riparian areas, and wetlands, displacing native vegetation and reducing biodiversity. It forms dense thickets that shade out native plants and alter the structure of the ecosystem.
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Zingiberaceae (Greek and Latin name, from a Sanskrit plant name) - Order: Zingiberales