Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Flowering Plants, Herbs
Tender Perennial
Origin
Hybrid origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Types
Not Available
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Number of Varieties
Not Available
Habitat
moist forests, Mountains
Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9
8-15
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
Purple, Pink, Lavender
White, Red, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Multi-Color
Fruit Color
Brown
Not Available
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Lance shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Needs very little water
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
cut main trunk every 5 years, Prune after flowering, Prune central stem, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 5-10-5 amounts, Compost
Apply 8-4-6 amount
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Red blotch, Trunk Rot
No serious insect or disease problems
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
Yes
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Attracts
Butterflies, Leaf Hoppers
Butterflies, Not Available
Allergy
Itchiness, Not Available, Sore Throat
Rash
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Anti-ageing, Good Cleanser, Remove blemishes, Removes pimples
Good for skin
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, soil stabilisation
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Cough, Haemorrhages, Laxative, Obesity, Tonic
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Leaves, Rhizomes
Other Uses
Added to salads, Can be boiled and seasoned, pickled, Culinary use
Can be made into a herbal tea, Leaves used for wrapping zongi, Used to flavour noodles, Used to wrap mochi rice cakes
Used As Indoor Plant
No
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
Averrhoa bilimbi
ALPINIA zerumbet
Common Name
Bilimbi, Mimbro
Shell Ginger
In Hindi
Bilimbi
Shell Ginger
In German
bilimbi
Shell Ginger
In French
bilimbi
Shell Ginger
In Spanish
bilimbi
Shell jengibre
In Greek
bilimbi
Shell Τζίντζερ
In Portuguese
bilimbi
Shell Ginger
In Polish
bilimbi
Shell Imbir
In Latin
Rondo Beardtongue
Crusta Ginger
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Lilopsida
Order
Oxalidales
Zingiberales
Family
Oxalidaceae
Zingiberaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Not Available
Alpinieae
Subfamily
Not Available
Alpinioideae
Number of Species
Not Available
Season and Care of Bilimbi and Shell Ginger
Season and care of Bilimbi and Shell Ginger is important to know. While considering everything about Bilimbi and Shell Ginger Care, growing season is an essential factor. Bilimbi season is Spring and Summer and Shell Ginger season is Spring and Summer. The type of soil for Bilimbi is Clay, Loam, Sand and for Shell Ginger is Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Bilimbi is Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline and for Shell Ginger is Acidic, Neutral.
Bilimbi and Shell Ginger Physical Information
Bilimbi and Shell Ginger physical information is very important for comparison. Bilimbi height is 38.10 cm and width 25.40 cm whereas Shell Ginger height is 180.00 cm and width 120.00 cm. The color specification of Bilimbi and Shell Ginger are as follows:
Bilimbi flower color: Purple, Pink and Lavender
Bilimbi leaf color: Green
Shell Ginger flower color: White, Red and Light Pink
- Shell Ginger leaf color: Dark Green
Care of Bilimbi and Shell Ginger
Care of Bilimbi and Shell Ginger include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Bilimbi pruning is done cut main trunk every 5 years, Prune after flowering, Prune central stem, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches and Remove dead leaves and Shell Ginger pruning is done Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves and Remove dead or diseased plant parts. In summer Bilimbi needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Shell Ginger needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.