Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Flowering Plants
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southwestern United States, California
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Types
-
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Habitat
Dry areas, meadows
Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9
8-15
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
Crimson
White, Red, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Multi-Color
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
-
Dark Green
Leaf Shape
Oblong
Lance shaped
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when soil is dry
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
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
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 10-10-10 amount
Apply 8-4-6 amount
Pests and Diseases
Insects
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
Yes
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Butterflies
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Burns, Snakebite, Stomach aliments
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Leaves, Rhizomes
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
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, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
PENSTEMON eatonii
ALPINIA zerumbet
Common Name
Firecracker Penstemon
Shell Ginger
In Hindi
Firecracker penstemon
Shell Ginger
In German
Kracher penstemon
Shell Ginger
In French
Firecracker penstemon
Shell Ginger
In Spanish
Penstemon del petardo
Shell jengibre
In Greek
πυροτέχνημα penstemon
Shell Τζίντζερ
In Portuguese
Penstemon do foguete
Shell Ginger
In Polish
petarda penstemon
Shell Imbir
In Latin
Firecracker Persicaria
Crusta Ginger
Order
Lamiales
Zingiberales
Family
Scrophulariaceae
Zingiberaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Season and Care of Firecracker Penstemon and Shell Ginger
Season and care of Firecracker Penstemon and Shell Ginger is important to know. While considering everything about Firecracker Penstemon and Shell Ginger Care, growing season is an essential factor. Firecracker Penstemon season is Summer and Shell Ginger season is Summer. The type of soil for Firecracker Penstemon is Loam, Sand and for Shell Ginger is Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Firecracker Penstemon is Neutral, Alkaline and for Shell Ginger is Acidic, Neutral.
Firecracker Penstemon and Shell Ginger Physical Information
Firecracker Penstemon and Shell Ginger physical information is very important for comparison. Firecracker Penstemon height is 61.00 cm and width 25.40 cm whereas Shell Ginger height is 180.00 cm and width 120.00 cm. The color specification of Firecracker Penstemon and Shell Ginger are as follows:
Firecracker Penstemon flower color: Crimson
Firecracker Penstemon leaf color: Green
Shell Ginger flower color: White, Red and Light Pink
- Shell Ginger leaf color: Dark Green
Care of Firecracker Penstemon and Shell Ginger
Care of Firecracker Penstemon and Shell Ginger include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Firecracker Penstemon pruning is done No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves and Remove deadheads 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 Firecracker Penstemon 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.