Hedychium gardnerianum (Kahili ginger, "Kibanashukusha")

Japanese name: キバナシュクシャ （黄花縮砂）
Scientific name: Hedychium gardnerianum

[Overview]
A perennial 1–2 m tall.
It has a rhizome.
The leaves are simple, alternate in two rows, and lanceolate, 20–45 cm long and 10–15 cm wide.
The part that looks like a stem is a pseudostem formed by overlapping leaf sheaths.
A flower stalk extends from among the leaves and bears many flowers in a spike-like inflorescence 15–45 cm long.
The inflorescence has green bracts, and each bract holds 2 flowers.
The flowers are yellow, the tube is about 5 cm long, and 3 petal-like staminodes are conspicuous; one of them is lip-shaped and shallowly lobed.
There is one fertile stamen with a thick red filament that projects far out of the flower.
The stigma of the pistil projects shortly from the tip of the anther of the fertile stamen.
The flowers are fragrant.
The fruit is a capsule that splits open when ripe, revealing an orange interior and red seeds.

[Cultivation]
Propagate by division.
It prefers fertile, slightly moist soil that is well drained and retains water well.
It dislikes dryness.
Full sun is fine from autumn to spring, but a place that avoids direct summer sun and strong afternoon sun is suitable.
It may be knocked over by strong wind, so a windbreak is helpful.
It tolerates temperatures down to about 7°C and can overwinter if it does not freeze, so in warm regions it can overwinter outdoors with a straw mulch or mounded soil.
In cold regions, dig up the rhizomes when the leaves begin to wither, bury them in moistened vermiculite or sawdust so that they do not dry out completely, and store them in a place where they will not freeze.
Rainfall is sufficient for watering unless sunny weather continues in summer and the soil dries out.
From spring to autumn, place slow-release fertilizer on the soil.
There are no particular pests or diseases.

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