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Key characteristics

Family: Zingiberaceae
Height: 4-6 feet tall
Width: 2-3 feet wide
Flower color: Bright orange to red-orange flowers arranged in dense, upright spikes
Foliage color: Large, lance-shaped, green leaves
Bloom time: Late summer to early fall
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low to moderate; cut back after frost, and provide mulch in colder zones for winter protection
Growing zone: USDA Zones 7-10
Wildlife: Attracts pollinators, including butterflies and hummingbirds

Perennials

Hedychium coccineum 'Tara'

Tara Ginger Lily

Hedychium coccineum 'Tara' is a bold perennial with dramatic, fiery orange-red flower spikes that bloom from late summer to early autumn. Each flower spike features numerous small, slender blooms with long, graceful stamens that create an almost feathered appearance, giving the plant a tropical elegance. The flowers are lightly fragrant and attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies, adding life to the late-season garden.

Originating from the Himalayas, Hedychium coccineum 'Tara' is admired for its hardiness and adaptability to temperate climates, making it suitable for gardens beyond tropical zones.

Light

Full sun to partial shade

Water

Medium

Bloom time

Late summer to early fall

Find this plant

Works well in

Borders
Cottage Gardens
Pollinator Gardens
Hummingbird Gardens
Cut Flower Gardens

Companion plants

Hardy geraniums · Hostas · Ferns · Astilbes · Foxgloves · Bergenias

Design tip

Fall bloom is its strength, and it earns a place near a path or seating area used late in the year. Because it is easy about light, use it to carry a planting from a sunny end of the bed into the shadier side.