Robert, that is pretty! : ) I like the leaves too. How's the scent comparing to your other ginger?

Hi Robert! I suppose butterfly ginger is H. coronarium, we always have the same plants!! I have one in a pot but it is still small has only two stalks about 60cm. Do you have many hedychiums?? Share your favourite?

Kemistry,

Hedychium coronarium is my fav so far! 'Daniel Weeks' is nice but its scent is sharper than the white butterfly ginger. ;)

Fenius,

Looks like we do share a lot of plants! :)
I have 5 hedychiums. Only 3 have bloomed:
H. coronarium
H. 'Daniel Weeks'
H. 'Peach Delight'

I'm still waiting on 'Tai Monarch' and 'Tai Mammoth' to bloom but the good old white butterfly ginger will probably trump them all.

-Robert

Robert!!!!

I am so happy for you. I had no idea. Now, I must add this to my list. Can you describe the scent and if you can whiff it from a distance? It's beautiful!

Hello Kemistry! Hope all is well.

Mike

Oh, Mike...you know how I hate trying to describe scents! ;)
I'm going with a mixture of honeysuckle and gardenia though it's not as strongly scented if you compare one gardenia bloom to one white ginger bloom. The scent is stronger at night.

-Robert

Robert, what did you do to get your Ginger to bloom?

I have a variegated Ginger purchased at a plant store I worked at 1994. It's leaves are beautiful, 'unless soil dries,' gets full sun, lots of humidity from spring till late autumn. What am I doing wrong?

Do you plant on leaving your Ginger in a pot w/o drainage indefinately?

I also have 3 other Gingers..One in a container w/o drainge that goes dorment during winter...It's a small variety.
Two others...don't know names off hand.

Pic of my variegated with NO blooms. :(

{{gwi:88399}}

Weeping Ginger purchased at 'Logees' 2011..an inch or so taller since its arrival.

Ginger in pot w/o drainage

In flower

BTW, the ginger in the pot w/o drainage has lived in this pot 3+ yrs w/o complications.
Toni

Hi Toni!

I don't think you're necessarily doing anything wrong it's just that we're growing different plants! :)
I'm growing hedychiums.
Your first variegated ginger is probably Alpinia zerumbet.

http://www.floridata.com/ref/a/alpi_zer_var.cfm

I don't think its flowers have any scent like most hedychiums have.

When I do move my white butterfly ginger (Hedychium coronarium) into a pot with no drainage holes I'll probably replace the potting mix each spring and use a mix that has water crystals in it since white ginger is a water hog and we're going through a drought right now.

I hope this helps! :)

-Robert

Robert, you're welcome.

What exactly are water crystals?

Seems all or at least most Gingers are water hogs. We too went through a major heatwave and drought..hand-watering didn't do much, but kept most plants alive.

Think I have a Hedychium, but don't know its variety. It was sent as a freebie w/an order.
Goes dormant during winter.

Umm, fragrant flowers. My variegated has very fragrant foliage, but I didn't know Gingers were scented. You're so lucky. :) Toni

Water crystals are dehydrated pieces of gel that swell when they are wet and slowly release the water for the plants to use.
There are lots of companies that make them but here's an example-

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/outdoors-garden-center-landscaping-supplies-soil-soil-amendments-soil-amendments/miracle-gro-12-oz-water-storing-crystals-170722.html

I normally just look for them included in the potting mixes at Lowe's or Home Depot but you can also buy the crystals separately and mix them into your potting mix.

Man I wish it would cool down and rain! :)

-Robert

Robert...I once found a gel, 'different colors,' in red. I potted S. Plumosis in this gel..it worked terrific, but needed additional gel about once a year.

I found it at Home Depot but since they stopped selling, so Plumosa ended in soil.

I'm in IL, and believe me, finding anything other than MG soil and a few fertilizers is impossible. They don't sell gels, crystals, etc.
Most people here aren't as, is the word obsessed? w/plants as I, and are not interested in buying anything other than a plant, pot and bag of soil. Most people don't bother fertilizing, so fertilizers are limitted.

What's the temp your way? I hope and pray all drought states get rain, too. It's awful.

IL crops are dying. The corn is ruined as are other veggies.
The farmers planted way too early in the first place, but last winter was warmer than previous winters so, they chanced it.

I assumed OK was arid...am I wrong? If so, how do you keep tropicals going? If you don't mind me asking.

IL winters are dry, so out comes the humidifers, indoor fountains, trays w/stones, misting and showering. It's a lot of work, but well worth it.

Sorry to hear it's hard to find special potting mixes and fertilzers where you are.
I suppose you can always order online! ;)
That's what I do with most of my plants.

I was actually in Chicago last week so I know well of the drought and parched lands between OK and IL. It was crazy! Huge cracks in the earth when we stopped at the rest stations along the highway driving home. Very sad.

It's been around 102 in OK for a couple of weeks now.
The tropicals don't mind the heat but of course they require tons of water and I've heard Tulsa is close to voluntary water rationing which means I can't sustain my habit for long. I'll no doubt have to start culling plants and putting some down in the basement under the fluorescent lights so they won't require as much water (that's where they stay in the winter).
Chances of rain tomorrow so fingers crossed! :)

-Robert

Robert, 80% of my plants were found online. lol.
If it wasn't for the net, 'Thank God!' I'd have a few Dracaenas. lol

Most nurseries closed their doors the last few years. There's one left, Ted's, in Tinly Park, a good hours drive. We stop there once a year..Usually Feb for some odd reason. Guess winter blues.

I also order fertilizers and pots online. When certain containers can be found.

Did you happen to go to Botanical Gardens, Succulent & Bromeliad Show when you were this way? I totally forgot, after waiting 10 months..lol.

Yes, it's sad about the drought, flooding and everything else that's been happening.

Yesterday, we had a major T-storm w/very strong, tornado-like winds. You should have seen my plants outside...
I love T-storms and the wind, but when my plants are rolling down the street, it's not fun.

My fingers are crossed. Maybe rain will cool temps, too??? It's ashame you have to haul your plants back in so early in the year.
Do you find the climate has changed over the years?

They say we're getting more rain today, tonight and tomorrow, but it's hot, semi-humid, 46%, and very sunny. But, one never knows..

Thanks for you help, Robert.
Keeping fingers crossed.