Hedychium

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}}

{{Redirect|Gulbakavali|other uses|Gulebakavali (disambiguation)}}

{{Automatic taxobox

|image = Starr 020803-0036 Hedychium coronarium.jpg

|image_caption = Hedychium coronarium

|display_parents = 2

|taxon = Hedychium

|authority = J.Koenig

|synonyms_ref =

|synonyms = *Gamochilus T.Lestib.

• Gandasulium Rumph. ex Kuntze
• Brachychilum (R.Br. ex Wall.) Petersen

}}

Hedychium is a genus of flowering plants in the ginger family Zingiberaceae, native to lightly wooded habitats in Asia. There are approximately 70-80 known species, native to India, Southeast Asia, and Madagascar. Some species have become widely naturalized in other lands, and considered invasive in some places.{{Cite web |url=http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=248084 |title=Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families |access-date=2014-07-02 |archive-date=2022-11-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221126052627/https://wcsp.science.kew.org/namedetail.do?name_id=248084 |url-status=dead }}[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=114823 Flora of China, v 24 p 370, 姜花属 jiang hua shu, Hedychium J. König in Retzius, Observ. Bot. 3: 73--74. 1783. ]

The genus name Hedychium is derived from two ancient Greek words, {{transliteration|grc|hedys}} meaning "sweet" and {{transliteration|grc|chios}} meaning "snow". This refers to the fragrant white flower of the type species H. coronarium.{{cite book|last=Coombes|first=Allen J.|title=The A to Z of plant names|year=2012|publisher=Timber Press|location=USA|isbn=9781604691962|page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781604691962/page/312 312]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781604691962/page/312}} Common names include garland flower, ginger lily, and kahili ginger.

Members of the genus Hedychium are rhizomatous perennials, commonly growing {{convert|120|-|180|cm|0|abbr=on}} tall. Some species are cultivated for their exotic foliage and fragrant spikes of flowers in shades of white, yellow and orange.{{cite book|title=RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants|year=2008|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|location=United Kingdom|isbn=978-1405332965|page=1136}} Numerous cultivars have been developed for garden use, of which 'Tara' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.{{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector - Hedychium 'Tara'|url= https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/317970/Hedychium-Tara/Details | access-date = 30 July 2020}}{{cite web | url= https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/pdfs/agm-lists/agm-ornamentals.pdf | title = AGM Plants - Ornamental | date = July 2017 | page = 46 | publisher = Royal Horticultural Society | access-date = 3 March 2018}} Though reasonably hardy down to {{convert|-10|C|F|abbr=on}}, it requires a sheltered position and a deep mulch in winter.