J20170812-0007Hedychium gardnerianumDxO

Description:

Hedychium gardnerianumKahili ginger. Grows in nature in the Himalayas in India, Nepal, and Bhutan. Kahili ginger is regarded as one the 100 most invasive species in the world by the IUCN Invasive Species Specialist Group.. It is a serious weed in Hawaii, New Zealand, and the Azores. Some research indicates the villosin, a compound found in H. gardnerianum, may be of use in treatment of small cell lung cancer. Photographed in a private garden in Berkeley, CA where it grows as a pot plant.