H. gardnerianum is yellow with red stamens. This one looks more like H. coccineum, or possibly a hybrid. Very nice!

I had looked up H. coccineum but the flowers look different. I vaguely recall the name "Kahili" cropping up some where when I bought it. Are all hedychiums "kahili" gingers? Or just H gardnerianum?

Kahili Ginger usually refers to H. gardnerianum, although technically any of the species that have that tight, columnar, bottle-brush type shape could be described as "kahili-like".

Here is a link that might be useful:

This is what the name refers to, so it wouldn't apply to all Hedychiums.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kahili

One more link. There are 3 pages of Hedychiums here. Not every species, and certainly not all the hybrids are pictured, but it's a good place to start.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ginger thumbnails

I believe the orange variety is a new hybrid, much rarer than the yellow or white. The "Kahili" ginger is named so because it resembles the Kahili, a feathered staff used by the ancient Hawaiians as a symbol for Royalty. Only the King/Queen had them to escort them, just like a flag showing a Coat of Arms used by other royal societies. They were made from the bright yellow and red feathers of two different small birds, the IÂiwi and the OÂo. I believe the O'o is now extinct and the I'iwi is probably endangered. They also had elegant matching capes called Ahu'ula (Treasured Feather Cape). The capes ranged in length from draping to their shoulders to as long as down to their calf. The King also wore a ceremonial helmet called a Mahi'ole also covered with the same bright feathers. Cut & paste this link to view a Feather Cape & Helmet: http://www.humboldt.edu/~rwj1/HI/hi008s.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Some links of Hawaiian artifacts & sites.

Lisa, some interesting links and an extremely useful ginger web resource. Thanks. After going through the pages of hedychium images, I am still not any nearer to an ID. It's between H coccineum and H gardenerianum. Would this close-up image help in picking one or the other?

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Cactus Joe, google Hedychium 'Tara'. Here's what I've gleaned from various sites. The experts are still discussing its species' affiliations, so it's listed in various catalogs as coccineum or densiflorum or gardnerianum. There appears to be a range of color, fragrance (or lack thereof), and leaf type that all go under the name of 'Tara'. The typical description includes vivid orange flowers with darker stamens, a bluish cast to the leaves and fragrance. Some argue that this seed-collected plant is a grex, a natural hybrid, whose seed grown offspring are not breeding true, thus explaining the various traits shown in plants going by the 'Tara' name. All agree, though, that 'Tara' is a reliably blooming Hedychium in the Pacific Northwest (where cool summers often keep them from blooming).

You certainly have a beautiful selection.
Monica

Yes, that is a nice color Cactus Joe. I have a H. gardnerianum Compactum picture on my member page. It is yellow with bright orange stamens.

Good luck on finding out what it is!

Rebecca

Here is a link that might be useful: My member page

Here's a recent pic of my Kahili (H. gardnerianum)

Cheers, Barrie.

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Bingo!! Thanks, Monica! You hit it right on the head of the nail there. I have googled, and googled, and the descriptions and pictures time and again fit the description to a "t". It is also used in a mass planting in the Botanical Gardens in the University of British Columbia, hence, there reason for it's availability here in BC.

'Tara' refers to a single clone. While catalog descriptions may very, the plants should be the same. 'Tara' refers to one plant, whereas Kahili is more of a common name for the species, H. gardnerianum. Going from Tom Woods research on this 'Tara' is indeed the same species as 'Kahili' (H. gardnerianum..sort of). They are the same..just the name is not valid :-). I'll let him explain it all when it gets published.

Tim Chapman

Thanks, Tim. I will keep my ears to the ground on this one.

how long do hedychium blooms last?? mine partly opened and then the blooms wilted and were gone in a couple days???

Each bottle brush spray lasted about one week in my garden.

Your Hedychium looks just like my H. "Tara"
I like it as it is dependable here in the NW.
Glad that yours is doing so well.
I think that it is Tara.
Trachycarpus

the flower looks like tara, but tara has a bluish color to the foliage. in the photo, the leaves look more greenish to me, but pics are tough to ID sometimes.

i have a similar plant that is unnamed. it gets 8-10 ft tall.

Seems to depend on sun exposure - I have another clump which receives less sun and it's foliage does have a slightly bluish hue.