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Hedychium 'Corelli' Hort. Cat. KobaKoba 2006
Accepted name Hedychium 'Corelli' Hort. Cat. KobaKoba 2006
Synonyms Distribution Description References Comments When the nursery KobaKoba were first given a piece of this lovely plant (labelled "Cream Coccineum") they thought that it was a form of Hedychium coronarium. Vegetatively the plant seemed similar to Hedychium coronarium as did the colour, size and fragrance of the flowers. However, the "flat-topped" character of the inflorescence was atypical of Hedychium coronarium but reminiscent rather of Hedychium ellipticum. Similarly, the stamen is distinctly narrow and orange, rather like Hedychium ellipticum but different from Hedychium coronarium in which the stamen is white or pale yellow. Each inflorescence bract produces up to 3 flowers; similar to Hedychium coronarium but different from Hedychium ellipticum. As a working hypothesis KobaKoba treated the plant as a hybrid; the plant has more of Hedychium coronarium about it than Hedychium ellipticum so it seems reasonable to propose Hedychium coronarium as the seed parent. This is a lovely plant which KobaKoba thought deserved a better name than Hedychium coronarium x Hedychium ellipticum under which they first sold it. KobaKoba chose the cultivar name 'Corelli' for obvious reasons and just two days after it was named, 'Corelli' was featured on BBC 2 on Gardeners' World on their exhibit at RHS Tatton Park. The origin of this plant is slightly mysterious. Its occurrence in certain mail order catalogues suggests that it might be an Indian import and, whether or not it is an old and now nameless cultivar, it has been (perhaps still is) distributed in the trade under the names Hedychium ellipticum and Hedychium coronarium. The association of this plant with two different species may explain two horticultural anomalies. First, it may explain why some catalogues state that Hedychium ellipticum has highly scented flowers, a claim I have never understood. 'Corelli' does indeed have highly scented flowers but I think that this is due to its Hedychium coronarium parentage and not to Hedychium ellipticum. In my experience, the flowers of true Hedcyhium ellipticum have a rather faint and extremely elusive clove-like scent. Second, it may explain claims that Hedychium coronarium flowers outside in the UK. I have met people who recognise 'Corelli' as the "Hedychium coronarium" they have flowering in their garden. 'Corelli' flowers in late July under cold glass, earlier than Hedychium ellipticum and much earlier than Hedychium coronarium. In a favourable situation 'Corelli' will flower outdoors in the UK whereas true Hedychium coronarium will not, see for example "Our Garden in Devon".