Hedychium

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Hedychium

Hedychium coronarium

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Zingiberales
Order:	Liliopsida
Family:	Zingiberaceae
Genus:	Hedychium J.Koenig

Species

See text.

Hedychium is a genus of perennial plants native to tropical Asia and the Himalayas, commonly growing between 120 and 180 cm tall. Common names include garland flower, ginger lily, and kahili ginger. Some species are grown as ornamental plants.

The Hedychium coronarium (white ginger) is the National Flower of Cuba where it is known as "Flor de Mariposa" literally Buttlerfly flower due to the appearance of it with a flying white butterfly. This particular species is incredibly fragrant and women used to garnished themselves with these flowers in the times of the Spanish colonization. Because the intricate structure of the inflorescence the ladies hide and carried secret messages important to the independence cause inside it. It is said that a guajiro's house (farmers) is not completed with a white ginger in a garden. Today the plant has gone wild in the cool rainy mountains in Sierra de Organos, Pinar del Rio Province in the west, Escambray Mountains in the center of the island and in Sierra Maestra in the very west of it.

White ginger is very common in Brazil and is considered to be an invasive weed. It was introduced in the era of slavery in Brazil, brought to the country by African slaves.