Hedychium densiflorum Stephen

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Hedychium densiflorum 'Stephen'

Accepted name
Hedychium densiflorum 'Stephen'

Synonyms

Distribution

Description

References

Comments Hedychium densiflorum 'Stephen' is one of the best Hedychium for the open garden. It is perhaps not quite so hardy as Hedychium densiflorum 'Assam Orange' but can easily be protected in situ with a mulch in a hard winter.
'Stephen' was collected in the wild in Nepal by Tony Schilling who named the plant after his son. Schilling found 'Stephen' in flower in Nepal and at first thought he might have found a new species. 'Stephen' is certainly a very distinct plant but it seems most likely that it is just a very unusual form of Hedychium densiflorum with a much larger inflorescence and flowers and a much stronger night-time fragrance. Together with 'Sorung', and A. D. Schilling 582, 'Stephen' seems to form a distinct group of large-flowered Hedychium densiflorum which are compared here.

'Stephen' flowers at about 1 m with flower spikes about 30 cm tall. The flowers, which tend all to come out at one time on the spike, are primrose yellow with contrasting deep orange filaments and anthers. 'Stephen' was accorded an RHS Award of Merit in 1982 but does not currently have an AGM.

It has been noted by others and I have found it so myself that 'Stephen' comes more-or-less true from seed. However, 'Stephen' is a clone so, properly speaking, seed raised plants of 'Stephen' are not 'Stephen'. It is regrettable that some seedsmen are selling seed of what they claim to be 'Stephen'.

from: Tony Schilling, A survey of cultivated Himalayan and Sino-himalayan Hedychium species. The Plantsman 4 (3): 129 - 149. (1982).

from pages 136 - 137:

The fourth form of [Hedychium densiflorum] I wish to discuss is an outstandingly beautiful one I collected in eastern Nepal during the monsoon of 1966 (Schilling 870). Strangely it was restricted to a very small area and was accompanied by the typical orange form. A coloured photo of this plant can be seen on page 260 of the RHS Journal, The Garden, Volume 103, Part 7, (July 1978) and text relating to its discovery on page 264 of the same issue. The full field notes relating to its collection read as follows:-

'Hedychium sp. Dudh Kosi Valley, between Surkya and Phiyon, Khumbu, E. Nepal. altitude 9,000 ft on a damp grassy west facing slope of 20°. In mixed forest of Quercus semicarpifolia, Rhododendron arboreum, Magnolia campbellii etc. Locally frequent. 2½ - 3 ft herbaceous perennial; flowers attractively pale yellow-orange, very heavily scented with a lily-like perfume; a very distinct species unlike any other of the more common Hedychium spp seen. The only other species in the locality was Hedychium densiflorum (S. 871) (the typical orange form). It would therefore not seem possible for this to be a natural hybrid. 3/8/66'

Dr Brandham of the Jodrell Laboratory, Kew, has stated that this collection has 50% sterile pollen and it is likely, but not certain, that it is of hybrid origin.

At the time I was hopeful that I had stumbled upon a species new to science or perhaps a natural hybrid, but with the passage of time I have to admit that it is no more than a very distinct form of H. densiflorum. Like the typical form it has flowers borne singly along the spike, a very short bracteole and large membraneous ligule. It differs in the larger, laxer, and less narrowly cylindric inflorescence and in the exserted corolla tube (in the species the corolla tube usually equals the calyx in length). Instead of being orange the flowers are a soft salmon yellow or light Indian yellow which contrast delightfully with the deep orange filaments and anthers. It is also heavily fragrant. In cultivation at Wakehurst Place it has proved to be just as hardy as L. S. and H. 17393.

Botanical rulings decree that the plant should be given clonal recognition and I therefore give this collection the name H. densiflorum 'Stephen' for my son who was born in Kathmandu in the autumn of 1966. It received an Award of Merit when shown at the RHS Hall on August 10, 1982.
In the open border this clone attains a height of 1 to 1.25 m (3 - 4 ft) but under glass it can be expected to grow to 1. 5 m or more (5 ft).

In 1955 a Swiss expedition to Nepal collected the typical form of Hedychium densiflorum from almost exactly the same locality in the Dudh Kosi valley and material of this orange form is at Edinburgh Botanic Garden and Wakehurst Place.

A comparison between 'Assam Orange' and 'Stephen' is here.

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last updated 25/09/2008

Accepted name	Hedychium densiflorum 'Stephen'
Synonyms
Distribution
Description
References
Comments	Hedychium densiflorum 'Stephen' is one of the best Hedychium for the open garden. It is perhaps not quite so hardy as Hedychium densiflorum 'Assam Orange' but can easily be protected in situ with a mulch in a hard winter. 'Stephen' was collected in the wild in Nepal by Tony Schilling who named the plant after his son. Schilling found 'Stephen' in flower in Nepal and at first thought he might have found a new species. 'Stephen' is certainly a very distinct plant but it seems most likely that it is just a very unusual form of Hedychium densiflorum with a much larger inflorescence and flowers and a much stronger night-time fragrance. Together with 'Sorung', and A. D. Schilling 582, 'Stephen' seems to form a distinct group of large-flowered Hedychium densiflorum which are compared here. 'Stephen' flowers at about 1 m with flower spikes about 30 cm tall. The flowers, which tend all to come out at one time on the spike, are primrose yellow with contrasting deep orange filaments and anthers. 'Stephen' was accorded an RHS Award of Merit in 1982 but does not currently have an AGM. It has been noted by others and I have found it so myself that 'Stephen' comes more-or-less true from seed. However, 'Stephen' is a clone so, properly speaking, seed raised plants of 'Stephen' are not 'Stephen'. It is regrettable that some seedsmen are selling seed of what they claim to be 'Stephen'. from: Tony Schilling, A survey of cultivated Himalayan and Sino-himalayan Hedychium species. The Plantsman 4 (3): 129 - 149. (1982). from pages 136 - 137: The fourth form of [Hedychium densiflorum] I wish to discuss is an outstandingly beautiful one I collected in eastern Nepal during the monsoon of 1966 (Schilling 870). Strangely it was restricted to a very small area and was accompanied by the typical orange form. A coloured photo of this plant can be seen on page 260 of the RHS Journal, The Garden, Volume 103, Part 7, (July 1978) and text relating to its discovery on page 264 of the same issue. The full field notes relating to its collection read as follows:- 'Hedychium sp. Dudh Kosi Valley, between Surkya and Phiyon, Khumbu, E. Nepal. altitude 9,000 ft on a damp grassy west facing slope of 20°. In mixed forest of Quercus semicarpifolia, Rhododendron arboreum, Magnolia campbellii etc. Locally frequent. 2½ - 3 ft herbaceous perennial; flowers attractively pale yellow-orange, very heavily scented with a lily-like perfume; a very distinct species unlike any other of the more common Hedychium spp seen. The only other species in the locality was Hedychium densiflorum (S. 871) (the typical orange form). It would therefore not seem possible for this to be a natural hybrid. 3/8/66' Dr Brandham of the Jodrell Laboratory, Kew, has stated that this collection has 50% sterile pollen and it is likely, but not certain, that it is of hybrid origin. At the time I was hopeful that I had stumbled upon a species new to science or perhaps a natural hybrid, but with the passage of time I have to admit that it is no more than a very distinct form of H. densiflorum. Like the typical form it has flowers borne singly along the spike, a very short bracteole and large membraneous ligule. It differs in the larger, laxer, and less narrowly cylindric inflorescence and in the exserted corolla tube (in the species the corolla tube usually equals the calyx in length). Instead of being orange the flowers are a soft salmon yellow or light Indian yellow which contrast delightfully with the deep orange filaments and anthers. It is also heavily fragrant. In cultivation at Wakehurst Place it has proved to be just as hardy as L. S. and H. 17393. Botanical rulings decree that the plant should be given clonal recognition and I therefore give this collection the name H. densiflorum 'Stephen' for my son who was born in Kathmandu in the autumn of 1966. It received an Award of Merit when shown at the RHS Hall on August 10, 1982. In the open border this clone attains a height of 1 to 1.25 m (3 - 4 ft) but under glass it can be expected to grow to 1. 5 m or more (5 ft). In 1955 a Swiss expedition to Nepal collected the typical form of Hedychium densiflorum from almost exactly the same locality in the Dudh Kosi valley and material of this orange form is at Edinburgh Botanic Garden and Wakehurst Place. A comparison between 'Assam Orange' and 'Stephen' is here. Back to Hedychium densiflorum Images