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| Category: Shrub |
| Family: Malvaceae (w/Bombacaceae & Sterculeacea) |
| Origin: South Africa (Africa) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Clear Pink |
| Bloomtime: Year-round |
| Height: 6-8 feet |
| Width: 4-6 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
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Hedychium gardnerianum 'Tara' (Tara Ginger) - A strong growing ginger to 6-8 feet tall with blue-green stems topped with 18 inch long spikes bearing the inflorescence of 4 to 6 fragrant orange-red flowers that appear in succession, or sometimes two at a time, over an extended period from summer through fall. The fragrance of the flowers is likened to that of a Gardenia. This plant originated from seed collected in Nepal by Tony Schilling of Kew Gardens. The resulting seedlings were uniform and collectively were named 'Tara' in 1972 to honor Schilling's daughter, noting that word 'tara' is Nepalese for "star". It was originally identified as a selection of Hedychium coccineum by Brian Mathew, but more recently as a form or hybrid of Hedychium gardnerianum by Hedychium specialist Tom Wood. It has also been noted in some catalogs as Hedychium densiflorum. Plant in full sun (coastal) to light shade and irrigate regularly. It is a very hardy Hedychium, succeeding in cooler climates than most and is noted as successful to USDA zone 7 (0-10° F). In cooler climates the foliage freezes down but it is evergreen in our nearly frost-free coastal garden. It is considered a superior ginger that blooms earlier and longer than most others. It is held with such regard in England that it was been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit in 1993. Coincidentally that same year we named a cultivar of Anisodontea as Anisodontea 'Tara's Pink' in 1993, but was after our Tara, the Rhodesian Ridgeback who roamed our nursery garden back then.
The information displayed on this page is based on research conducted about this plant in our library and from reliable online sources. We also consider observations that we have made of it growing in the nursery's garden and in other gardens, as well how it has performed in our crops out in the nursery field. We will incorporate comments that we receive from others as well, and welcome hear from anyone who may have additional information, particularly if they have knowledge of cultural information we do not mention that would aid others in growing Anisodontea 'Tara's Pink'.
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