Know your alien invasive plant: Ginger plants
Hillcrest Conservancy will produce weekly articles regarding the various alien invasive plant species in the Highway area to help the community identify and eliminate them.
THIS week, Hillcrest Conservancy takes a look at the Ginger plant, as part of its series of articles on alien invasive plants, to help the community identify and eradicate them from their gardens.
The Kahili ginger lily (Hedychium gardnerianum) is one of three ginger plants which is a particular problem in the Highway area, the other two are Yellow ginger (Hedychium flavescens) and the white ginger lily (Hedychium coronarium). They are also known as Kahiligemmerlelies in Afrikaans.
Description: They are all vigorous plants up to two metres high. Broad, bright green or greyish-green leaves which sheath the stems. Showy, fragrant flowers in spikes up to 35cm long from January to March. Flowers are yellow,white or red with red protruding stamens.
Where does this species come from? This species originally comes from Asia in the Himalayas.
What is its invasive status in South Africa? They are Category 1b on the NEMBA list and must be removed from your property. These plants are also a problem in the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces.
How does it spread? They are spread by seeds and also by rhizomes. They are commonly found near or in water or other shady wet areas. Very difficult to remove and will quickly clog streams and displace indigenous vegetation.
They have been planted as garden ornaments but have escaped over the years.
Plant these instead: Arum lilies (Zantedeschia spp.), crane flower (Strelitzia reginae), dragon tree (Dracaena aletriformis), small-leaved dragon tree (Dracaena mannii), Moore’s crinum (Crinum moorei), blister leaf (Knowltonia vesicatoria).
Contact Ian Pattrick on 079 909 5458 or Hillcrest Conservancy chairman, George Victor, on 073 901 3902 or e-mail georgevic@telkomsa.net
