Plant · GBIF taxon 7883492
Butterfly Ginger Lily
Hedychium coronariumAlso known as White Ginger Lily, White Garland-Lily, Butterfly Lily, Mariposa
White ginger lily forms tall reed-like stalks with broad lanceolate leaves that culminate in clusters of snow-white blossoms resembling delicate butterflies. The intense sweet perfume peaks in late afternoon and evening, drawing nocturnal moth pollinators from great distances. Though cherished in gardens and recognized as Cuba's national flower, its vigorous rhizomes allow it to form dense thickets along tropical waterways that easily crowd out native plants.
FragrantFloweringInvasive
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Data DeficientConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXData Deficient — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Sunlight
- Water
- Soil nutrients
Predators
- Slugs
- Snails
- Herbivorous insects
ThreatsHabitat clearing in native range; aquatic weed control in introduced ranges
HabitatsStream banks, rainforest understory, wet meadows, disturbed moist soils
Life spanPerennial (rhizomes live indefinitely)
Classification
- OrderZingiberales
- FamilyZingiberaceae
- GenusHedychium
- SpeciesHedychium coronarium
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Fragrance Timing: Visit late in the afternoon or at night when flowers release their strongest sweet perfume.
- Garden Care: Plant in rich, moist soil with partial shade, keeping rhizomes damp to encourage thick flowering stalks.
- Invasive Awareness: Avoid discarding rhizome cuttings near streams or wetlands where broken pieces easily take root.
Close Relative (c) zebedeugalinha, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Family Member (c) Kristof Zyskowski, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Kristof Zyskowski · cc-by
Cultivated Relative (c) Greg III Espera, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Greg III Espera · cc-by
Family Member Semnoz / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?
Checking your Fauna account…Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.