Why all of a sudden are my gingers setting seeds? I've been growing them forever and not had seeds now almost every variety I grow have them. Whose been in my yard pollinating behind my back?
Hmm I've got my eyes on you, you tropical people.

Don't know about you, Kabby but we are having summer weather still - a very long growing season. It would seem like some pollinator has found your gingers that doesn't usually show up until after they're finished blooming?

I've been out at night with a flashlight, and seen huge moths at my Hedychium flowers. They have eyes that glow, it's really cool. Might have been these:
http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowe...

In any case, if there are still any flowers, go out with a flashlight before bed some night and see what you can see. I put my fingers around the light to dim it a bit, just so I don't blind all the night-flying critters.

Elaine I have seen the hawk moths! I'll be sitting in a chair admiring late blooms and will hear those wings whirring away. Our hummers leave the third week in Oct so I know it's not them. I did take some photos of a different butterfly on the hedys, I'll post those when I get home. Thanks for your response .

Kabby said: Why all of a sudden are my gingers setting seeds? I've been growing them forever and not had seeds now almost every variety I grow have them. Whose been in my yard pollinating behind my back?
Hmm I've got my eyes on you, you tropical people.

Fascinating. Have you tried to grow them from seed?

dyzzypyxxy said:
I've been out at night with a flashlight, and seen huge moths at my Hedychium flowers. They have eyes that glow, it's really cool. Might have been these:
http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowe...

Cool. And very well could have been a Hummingbird (Sphinx) moth. They are very inquisitive and will hit practically anything that is blooming. They are best seen in early evening and will go about business well after dark.

Unfortunately, I had none this year. But in Summer 2014, I had them around my deck nearly every evening in August & September. I had never seen one before and initially thought they were hummingbirds cause they so closely resemble them in so many ways.

They are few and far between though since most gardeners kill the cats - tomato and tobacco hornworms. I had 4 of these this year - 2 were parasitized and died. 2 were huge - had to be 5th instar and were gone, both after I observed them for ~ 3 days.

@DavidLMO No this is the first year I have ever had seed. Many times, trying to keep the plants tidy I will cut the flower head off when finished blooming. I know it won't bloom again so I deadhead. I'm actually doing well on cleaning up some canes that haven't even seen frost yet. Trying to get winter chores done.

Well - either you or me or both should try to grow some from seed - don't cha think? I'll send a SASE.
I love growing things from seed and also love challenges.

I've got some hedychiums I've grown from seeds going on their 3rd year. Have no idea how long it takes them to bloom when grown from seed - I'm also wondering if they breed true to the parent.

@Xeramtheum Anne I'm thinking probably not true to parent. I'm going to let David experiment and see what he comes up with. I may try potting some myself.

Anne - Maybe next year? Can you tell how big the rhizomes are? How tall are the plants? Are they in the ground for your Zone?

Any seed that grows in boulbous form has to spend time building the bulbous structure til it becomes mature enough to bloom.

I have no idea how long this is for Hedychiums. I also do not know how long for the following which I am growing from seeds:

Siberian Iris
Dietes
Dierama

I also grow a lot of trees from seed for Bonsai. One thing I know is that I should have started not 2 years ago, but 30 years ago.

Does hedychium form seeds on its own without a pollinator partner?

Kabby said:@Xeramtheum Anne I'm thinking probably not true to parent. I'm going to let David experiment and see what he comes up with. I may try potting some myself.

:-)

Are they species or some type hybrid?

Earlier you said:

"Why all of a sudden are my gingers setting seeds? I've been growing them forever and not had seeds now almost every variety I grow have them."

Does this mean you are growing several types of Hedychiums?
Are you also growing other types of Ginger?

Note that we should get some of DrDawg's magic elixure - he got blooms from Plumeria in 15 months after planting seed and in another 3 months (18 months from seed) set seed!!

The thread "Seed-pods!!!!!!!!!!!" in Plumeria forum

David, I have about 25 hedychium, most are hybrids. It's also my first yr for growing shampoo ginger. Have also had peacock ginger at one time.

Kabby, I thought I had lost every single Shampoo Ginger after last winter. I finally got some tiny plants two months later than normal and every time one came up, I dug it up and potted it. I now have about 18 potted ginger and they are going to spend the winter months in a greenhouse. They will all go back outside in the spring. The White Butterfly Ginger doesn't seem to have a problem with mid to low teens (so far).

They are hybrids and in a pot. I just went out and removed the pot to see if they are producing any rhizomes and it looks like they are just starting to. I put it back in the pot and stuck it in the greenhouse rather than let it fend for itself.

Summer of '14 I started the humongous task of separating and potting hedychiums that had grown into each other. Some tags lost but I had a hard copy of all the kinds I grew. I had never potted hedys before and the winter rain rotted them. Some are irreplaceable, a few survived that now have a bed for themselves. I still have a few potted but it will be okay if these don't make it. My pinecone I will probably mulch more along with EEs. Canna, hedys, and crinum get no protection. That sounds cruel when I go back and read it.

Where is Lowndesboro, Kabby?

Google it, Ken. You 'll get a nice map to look at.

Its easier to ask.........heck, we are next-door neighbors. Go Dawgs.

Lowndesboro is halfway between Montgomery and Selma. War Eagle Ken!

OK, then your climate is a bit more "tropical" than mine. I would not think you would need to worry about mulching most of your plants for winter protection.