About Hedychium gardnerianum Sheph. ex Ker Gawl.
Hedychium gardnerianum, commonly known as Kahili ginger, Kahila garland-lily, or ginger lily, is a flowering plant species in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. It is native to the Himalayas in India, Nepal, and Bhutan. This is an erect herbaceous perennial that grows to 8 ft (2.4 m) tall, with long, bright green leaves that clasp the tall stems. Its highly fragrant pale yellow and red flowers are arranged in dense spikes held above the foliage, and they bloom towards the end of summer. Hedychium gardnerianum is grown as an ornamental plant in gardens and parks. It prefers a warm tropical climate, but can also grow well in subtropical and temperate regions because it tolerates occasional frosts. In the United Kingdom, it has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. It grows best in a warm, sheltered location where temperatures do not drop below freezing, and should be given a deep mulch during winter. It can also be grown under glass in a well-lit conservatory or greenhouse. Medicinal research has found that the plant compound villosin from Hedychium gardnerianum has potent cytotoxicity activity against human small cell lung cancer cells.
