Kahili ginger
Hedychium gardnerianum
family
Zingiberaceae
origin
Exotic
declaration
Category 3 Restricted Matter (Biosecurity Act 2014)
Must not be distributed or disposed. This means it must not be released into the environment unless the distribution or disposal is authorised in a regulation or under a permit.
Common names
Kahili ginger, Ginger lily, Yellow ginger lily, Kahila garland-lily, Kahili ginger lily.
A large herbaceous plant with short-lived upright flowering stems growing up to 2.5 m tall. It re-grows and spreads via long-lived creeping underground stems. Its large alternately arranged leaves (20-45 cm long and 10-15 cm wide) have a long base that sheaths the stems. Its showy flowers are borne large clusters (15-45 cm long and 15-20 cm wide) at the tips of the upright stems. These flowers are mostly bright yellow with a single large bright red stamen. Its capsules (about 1.5 cm long) split open when mature to reveal bright orange inner surfaces and bright red seeds.
Impact
Impact
Kahili ginger (Hedychium gardnerianum) is regarded as an environmental weed in Queensland and New South Wales. It forms vast, dense, colonies that smother and displace native groundcover vegetation. These dense stands also can prevent the regeneration of trees and shrubs, significantly modify the habitat available to native animals, and eventually threaten the integrity of the forest ecosystems. This species prefers moist habitats, can tolerate shade, and can dominate riparian areas and the understorey of wetter forests in sub-tropical and tropical regions.Kahili ginger (Hedychium gardnerianum) has escaped cultivation in south-eastern Queensland and is spreading into rainforest at Mt Glorious, Mt Nebo, Springbrook National Park, Lamington National Park, Mt Tamborine and Buderim. It is also reported to be invading rainforest near Mackay in central Queensland. It was recently ranked among the top 200 most invasive species in south-eastern Queensland and is regarded as a serious threat to sub-tropical and tropical rainforests throughout Queensland.
Location
Location
Characteristics
Characteristics
Similar Species
Similar Species
Kahili ginger (Hedychium gardnerianum) is regarded as an environmental weed in Queensland and New South Wales. It forms vast, dense, colonies that smother and displace native groundcover vegetation. These dense stands also can prevent the regeneration of trees and shrubs, significantly modify the habitat available to native animals, and eventually threaten the integrity of the forest ecosystems. This species prefers moist habitats, can tolerate shade, and can dominate riparian areas and the understorey of wetter forests in sub-tropical and tropical regions.Kahili ginger (Hedychium gardnerianum) has escaped cultivation in south-eastern Queensland and is spreading into rainforest at Mt Glorious, Mt Nebo, Springbrook National Park, Lamington National Park, Mt Tamborine and Buderim. It is also reported to be invading rainforest near Mackay in central Queensland. It was recently ranked among the top 200 most invasive species in south-eastern Queensland and is regarded as a serious threat to sub-tropical and tropical rainforests throughout Queensland.
