CHENNAI: Gardening enthusiasts say that the most desirable plants to grow are either plants with bright flowers or those with a glorious scent.Ginger lilies are best among all the garden plants, as they have a wonderful fragrance and are beautiful to look at. Hence, they are very popular. Hedychium Coronarium Koenig (family zingiberaceae), is one type of ginger lily that is commonly called butterfly lily. In Kannada and Telugu, it is called as Sougandhige, Kalyana Sougandhigam in Malayalam and Seemai Kichali Kizhangu in Tamil. The name Hedychium is derived from the Greek word ‘hedys’, which means sweet, and ‘chion’ which means snow in allusion to the dense white flowers.
The butterfly lily, which is native to the Himalayan region, is also known for its medicinal properties. For example, the rhizomes (underground shoots) are used to relieve flatulence, cure fever and also used as a tonic and stimulant. Rhizome paste is applied to bruises and sprains as well. It is also a substitute for Shatee (hedychium spicatum) and is used to treat dysponea, pain, distaste, wounds, hiccups and oedema.
The rhizomes are jointed and fleshy, with a 8 cm diameter. The aerial shoots are tender, and grow up to a height of 6-feet. The leaves are lance-shaped, about 40 cm long and 10 cm broad, and are dark green in colour.
The flowers are white, large and showy. They grow up to 10 cm in length, and have dense spikes, thus resembling butterflies, giving them their name. The fruits are globose, 3-valved, dehiscent capsules of about 2 cm width. They are red when they ripen, and have several small black seeds that are covered with attractive crimson red coloured aril. Ginger lillies can be planted out in the sun or in partially shady areas as well. However, the soil should be well-drained and enriched with humus. It is reported that this species can thrive even in 0 to -5 celcius, hence it can be grown in any climatic condition.
It’s best if it is planted in your living room, as the fragrance from the perfumed flowers can spread through the rest of the house. The handsome, dark green foliage also looks lovely in homes. It can be kept on staircases or in front of the house. What makes the butterfly lily really stand out is if it’s planted along water bodies. Remember, it is very difficult to contain this plant in a pot. However, a pot that is bigger than 24-inches with loamy compost can contain this plant for two years, with regular replanting and thinning of the rhizomes.