Anticipation



This is exciting! I have wanted an orange ginger lily for as long as I can remember. I tried growing it in Alabama and never got a bloom. I do have a white ginger (Hedychium spicatum) that has had a few blooms. A few years ago, someone told me that 'Tara' is the only one that will reliably bloom here. I don't know if that it true but I finally got one this year (thank you Dancing Oaks!). Planted in April next to our South foundation and given ample water, I can hardly believe it, but it looks like a bloom is imminent - in its first year!

I'm holding my breath...


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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Comments

Kris Peterson said…
I'd be excited too! My fingers are crossed on your behalf.
August 1, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Anonymous said…
oooh, gutsy move to mention it before it's actually blooming. If I did that, I'd jinx it somehow and then no flower. I hope you have better luck! Maybe my comment will cancel out any jinx.
August 1, 2025 at 12:38 PM
tz_garden said…
Fantastic! I can't wait to see - isn't it great when things work out :)
August 1, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Ardith Ferguson said…
Exciting! I can't wait to see your photos of the bloom.
August 1, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Anonymous said…
Their culture confuses me a bit. Here in GA, I juggle heat, sunlight, and moisture levels for my white one. Best bloom was in sandy soil and 5-6 hrs morning sun near an irrigation head. Pretty much won’t bloom in my woodland area, though.
I’ve also got a variegated one that may never bloom but is lovely. All day high shade.
August 2, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Phillip Oliver said…
I've always thought of them as shade plants, too. Here, many plants will tolerate more sun because of the cooler temperatures. I had my white ginger in a lot of shade because the nursery selling it said that it was good in shade, but I moved it to a sunnier location. I think it is going to bloom as well.
August 5, 2025 at 12:20 PM
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