Butterfly ginger is a tropical herbaceous perennial in the ginger family (Zingiberaceae) native to Southern and Southeast Asia. The species epithet is a Latin word meaning “used for garlands.” These plants prefer warm, moist, well-drained, humus-rich soils in full sun or partial or dappled shade. They do not tolerate standing water or continuously wet soil. In zones colder than Zone 8, butterfly ginger needs a thick, protective layer of mulch in the winter. Alternatively, the rhizomes can be dug and stored in a cool basement or garage over winter and replanted in the spring. These plants will remain evergreen in a warm greenhouse or conservatory. Butterfly gingers grow from thick rhizomes and send up stems that grow 3 to 6 feet tall and form a clump 2 to 3 feet wide. They have tropical-looking foliage, and the flowers are very fragrant. They tend to be ignored by deer. Use in groups, borders or containers for a tropical look. They would be at home in an Asian garden, children’s garden, sensory garden, shade garden, rain garden or pollinator garden. They make excellent conservatory plants. If grown in containers in cooler areas, they should be overwintered indoors in a greenhouse or cool, dry, frost-free location. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Scale and spider mites can be troublesome, especially indoors. More information on Hedychium .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Wet
Available space
12 inches-3 feet; 3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 4 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Clumping
Texture
Coarse
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Sheath; Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Oblanceolate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Papery
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, 3-6 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
lance-shaped, medium green leaves (to 2 feet long x 5 inches wide).
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; White
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower form
Spike
Flower shape
Funnel; Irregular
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Dense elliptical clusters (4 to 8 inches long). Individual flowers may look like white butterflies. Some clones have pale yellow flowers.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit color
Orange
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit value
Showy
Fruit size
< 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
The seeds are surrounded by reddish pulp and are showy when the capsule opens.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
India, Eastern Himalayas to Java
Distribution
Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mexico, West Indies, Central and South America, Asia, Australia.
Attracts
Butterflies; Moths
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Tubers
Fruit type
Capsule
Edibility
Tubers are spicy.
Uses (ethnobotany)
The fragrant flowers are used for garlands.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Riparian; Woodland
Landscape theme
Asian Garden; Butterfly Garden; Children's Garden; Garden for the Blind; Nighttime Garden; Pollinator Garden
Design feature
Accent; Border; Mass Planting; Small groups; Specimen