CP Raffill Hardy Ginger Lily Hedychium coccineum 'CP Raffill'
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Hedychium 'CP Raffill'
- Phonetic Spelling
- he-DEE-kee-um kok-SIN-ee-um
- Description
-
'CP Raffill' ginger lily is a showy cultivar of the species H. coccineum with 18-inch-long spikes of bright orange-red flowers. The species is native to India, Southeast Asia and southern China, but the cultivar was selected in the UK. The cultivar epithet honors British botanist Charles Percival Raffill (1876–1951), a curator at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The species epithet is the Latin word for “scarlet.”
These tropical plants prefer moist, well-drained, humus-rich soils in partial or dappled shade; however, they will tolerate full sun with adequate moisture. This plant will need adequate protection from winter cold.
'CP Raffill' ginger lily has tropical-looking foliage, and the flowers bloom in early summer before most other ginger lilies. It has flowers that are brighter and richer in color than the species.
It lends a tropical look to the garden as well as provides nectar for hummingbirds. Use in groups, borders or containers. This cultivar would be at home in an Asian garden, pollinator garden, children’s garden or a rain garden.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No significant diseases or insect pests.
VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Hedychium
- Species:
- coccineum
- Family:
- Zingiberaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Wildlife Value:
- Hummingbirds will take nectar from the flowers.
- Edibility:
- Roots are edible but not flavorful.
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Coarse
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Three-part capsules change from green to brown as they ripen in the late fall. Each contains fleshy orange arils around the seeds.
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Orange
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Spike
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Funnel
- Irregular
- Flower Petals:
- 2-3 rays/petals
- Flower Size:
- > 6 inches
- Flower Description:
- 18-inch-long spikes of brilliant orange flowers sit on 6-foot-tall clumping foliage.
-
-
Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Papery
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Sheath
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are alternate and two-ranked along the stem.
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- The pseudostems arise from the rhizomes and are composed of long, succulent, interlocked leaf petioles similar to canna lilies.
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Patio
- Walkways
- Landscape Theme:
- Asian Garden
- Children's Garden
- Garden for the Blind
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
