Hedychium gardnerianum (Kahili Ginger)

Native to the Himalayan region of northern India, Nepal and Bhutan, this perennial herb spreads through creeping underground rhizomes. Upright shoots carry alternate, pointed leaves with sheathing bases. Tall terminal clusters bear bright yellow flowers with a conspicuous long red stamen. After flowering, three-chambered capsules split open to expose vivid orange inner surfaces and seeds wrapped in red fleshy coverings. It is widely cultivated and is invasive in Hawaii, New Zealand and South Africa. Dense mats of rhizomes smother forest undergrowth and prevent native tree seedlings from establishing. Photographed in Colombia.