Where in AZ are you talking about, Flagstaff? Cuz in Phoenix, you will have a hard time giving it enough sun to bloom vs. getting it burnt. And it will need a lot of water.
They grow okay here in Sacramento in low 100's, but mine only get around 2 hours of sun and tons of water.

Chris,

Actually, you are not in a warm tropical climate (for one thing your winters are too cold to be called that), you are in an arid desert climate. This makes a big difference, and the people in Florida have a very different growing climate than that of AZ. Florida is MUCH, MUCH more humid and the sun is not as intense. The experiences of CA growers (like Heathen) will be much closer to yours.

In short your challenges are too much sun and too little humidity. I would try growing the Hedychium in a bright but shaded area, one that gets morning but not afternoon sun. Be sure to keep it plenty moist because it will lose tons of water through the leaves due to the dry air. But, in the end you still need to expect burnt edges of leaves from time to time.

-Kyle

Hi Kyle,

I know I am not in a warm tropical climate, but I have learned that plants that tolerate Florida's hot summers are more likely to tolerate ours.... California summers are not like Arizona or Florida summers because nights cool off in California... And over the years have I found out that its the hot nights that limited plants in our climate that are not tolerant to warn growing conditions......

Reason why coconuts don't grow on the California coast and they grow in Florida, hot nights is the key......

So in short if this ginger can not tolerate the heat in Florida most likely it won't like our long hot summers as well.......

I'll grant you that about the nights (although the central valley doesn't cool down nearly as regularly as coastal CA). My point was more that your humidity is extremely low in AZ, combine that with high temps. and you have a situation that can make it tough on most any ginger. In that sense AZ is more like CA (but even more extreme).

Hopefully some Floridians will help you out (if they can ever get a break from the endless stream of hurricanes!). But I'm pretty sure that it was hybridized by Tom Wood in Gainesville, FL, so it must have done quite well for him in order for him to bring it to market. Admittedly that is northern FL, but summer nights are pretty hot there.

Sorry if I am telling you things you already know, but a large percentage of the questions here are from people who are ginger novices (and many times gardening novices). When you originally said you were in a warm tropical climate I thought you meant it literally (instead of for comparative purposes), so I assumed you were a novice which it now seems you aren't.

-Kyle

Yeah, it depends on where you are for the cooler nights. But still... really, sun vs. burnt is what going to be your biggest problem. And when we are 110º during the day time here in Sacramento, we rarely cool down past the 90's at night...but luckily, that isn't our regular temps... USUALLY, we hover around low 100's and the nights are in the upper 70's.

Hi Chris,

I'm in Zone 8b/9a in NE Fl(JAcksonville) and H. Elizabeth has grown beautifully here the last 5-6 years. Our night temps. range between 70-80 during the summer, so warm nights aren't a problem for this plant here--it's in full bloom right now. My growing conditions are obviously cooler in the winter than you're talking about, however.

Hope this helps.

Amy