The Easiest, Most Fragrant Cut Flower: White Ginger Lily
Anna Montgomery
Another super performing, easy-to-grow perennial you may not know about is the white ginger lily or white garland lily because they are sometimes used to make leis in Hawaii. Don't be afraid of its exotic origins or the fragile look of its flower, white ginger is no shrinking violet. I have been growing this plant for 10 years, and it produces the most fragrant, beautiful cut flowers of any plant I have ever grown.
Originally found in the India, the white ginger lily has foliage that resembles corn stalks and grows three to seven feet tall.
The fragrance of the flowers is amazing--and since there are as many as 10 or more flowers on each stalk, they can last for as long as a week as more flowers open.
Plant the bulbs that resemble culinary ginger in good soil. They will multiply and tend to crowd out other plants so put them in a location where they can spread. My plants are in full, afternoon sun, but when I had them in morning sun they did well there too.
I keep my plants watered for best flowering since they are in full sun, but in a less sunny location, you could get away with less watering.
My huge patch of white ginger started with one plant 10 years ago. When the plants begin blooming for me in late July, I usually have cut flowers to every few days until frost.
I cut my ginger foliage back close to the ground after the freeze gets them, and they come back each year stronger than ever.
To propogate, simply dig up the bulb, and replant or share with your gardening friends who will be grateful!
We have white ginger lily in stock now for planting!