I just ordered some rhizomes of pink ginger (Queen ginger), I was just wondering did you start with a plant or a rhizome?

Alpinia zerumbut, flowers in February or March depending on our weather. This year one bloomed in March and one is blooming now, rather late for the alpinia. The cardamom has bloomed, mid-may, peacocks are just coming up. Hedy's aren't blooming yet. One of the shampoo gingers started blooming last month but none of the others are yet. Tally HO!

WannaRun, I have always started with plants.

Tally, I'd love to see my Alpinia bloom, but I suppose unless I live in a much warmer place like you, I never will(in the ground at least). I bet you have a lot of plants I wish I could grow here!

I need to pay closer attention to my Hedychiums, because right after I posted this, I went out and discovered a clump that has colored buds pulling out of their protective bracts. I would guess within a few days to a week I'll have open flowers. I was still correct at this point however, as I do not have any flowers yet!

This year aside from the spring bloomers that are always first (curcuma, k. rotunda, grande and a few new ones etc) the first in the ground to bloom was K. elegans (an unnamed form). G. winitii started very early this year. Curcuma amada, and curcuma rhabdota violet are in full bloom. Several Kaempferia have started, K. pulchra, K. parviflora, and K. angustifolia and a bunch of the new guys too. The only hedychium blooming is H. hybrid 'Vi' but many are very close. Zingiber montanum (aka cassumanar aka purpureum) is also the first zingiber for me, its in full bloom. ... and amazingly, Alpinia formosana has started blooming!!! I thought the clumps were burnt too severely, but alas two stems are blooming (without winter protection). I've never had them bloom outdoors before, so this is a nice suprise.

Tim Chapman

Tim, I knew if you found my post you could provide a long list! How cold did you get last winter? My lowest was 18F, and my Alpinia was not able to bloom yet again.

I have tried more than a few Kaempferias here and they just aren't hardy enough.

I had a Globba schomburgkii a few years ago and it failed to survive its first winter.

I have tried and lost both Curcuma zedoaria and 'Emperor'. I do have an unknown Curcuma, I received in trade, thats lasted for 4 years now.

My only Alpinia is japonica, which is very hardy overall, but gets zapped by late cold every year.

That Hedychium I mentioned five days ago, that was close to blooming, opened its first flowers today. It is always way ahead of my others, yet I have no idea what it is. I suspect it has some H. coccineum blood in it, if its not that outright. Has narrow foliage, with dark orange, non fragrant flowers. I ordered it from Stokes as H. spicatum 'White Wings', but as soon as it bloomed I realized it was not. Tim perhaps you could provide an ID.

Here it is...

Here is a link that might be useful:

just thought id let you know hedychium 'cp raffill' is blooming now in my garden. its one of my favorites.

Hayes, are the flowers orangey in color? Fragrant? Is it your first Hedychium to bloom?