Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tender Perennial
Origin
Western United States, California, Mexico
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Types
Calocedrus decurrens
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Number of Varieties
120
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
low mountains, Mountain tops, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-88-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
12-5
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2,130.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
White, Red, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Multi-Color
Fruit Color
Sandy Brown
-
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
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Lance shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
-
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Stem Planting
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs less watering, Water occasionally
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
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
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
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, 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
No fertilizers needed
Apply 8-4-6 amount
Pests and Diseases
Insects
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
-
Showy
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Butterflies
Allergy
-
Rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Stomach pain
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Leaves
Leaves, Rhizomes
Other Uses
Making Perfumes, Used in pencil industry
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
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
CALOCEDRUS decurrens
ALPINIA zerumbet
Common Name
Incense Cedar
Shell Ginger
In Hindi
Incense Cedar
Shell Ginger
In German
Zeder
Shell Ginger
In French
Encens Cedar
Shell Ginger
In Spanish
cedro de incienso
Shell jengibre
In Greek
θυμίαμα Κέδρος
Shell Τζίντζερ
In Portuguese
cedro de incenso
Shell Ginger
In Polish
kadzidło Cedar
Shell Imbir
In Latin
incensum Cedar
Crusta Ginger
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Pinopsida
Lilopsida
Order
Pinales
Zingiberales
Family
Cupressaceae
Zingiberaceae
Genus
Calocedrus
Alpinia
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Alpinieae
Subfamily
-
Alpinioideae
Number of Species
50150
1
27800
👆🏻