Home
Garden Plants


About Inkberry and Shell Ginger


About Shell Ginger and Inkberry


What is

Life Span
Perennial  
Perennial  

Type
Broadleaf Evergreen  
Tender Perennial  

Origin
North America, Northeastern United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States  
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia  

Types
Ilex glabra, Ilex crenata, Ilex verticillata  
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty  

Number of Varieties
3  
20  
99+

Habitat
Coastal Regions, Lowland, Mountains, Subtropical climates, Suburban areas  
Tropical regions  

USDA Hardiness Zone
5-9  
8-15  

AHS Heat Zone
9-1  
12-5  

Sunset Zone
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 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
Oval or Rounded  
Clump-Forming  

Information

Plant Size
  
  

Minimum Height
120.00 cm  
99+
180.00 cm  
99+

Minimum Width
180.00 cm  
99+
120.00 cm  
99+

Plant Color
  
  

Flower Color
White  
White, Red, Light Pink  

Flower Color Modifier
-  
Multi-Color  

Fruit Color
Black  
-  

Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green  
Dark Green  

Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green  
Dark Green  

Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green  
Dark Green  

Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green  
Dark Green  

Shape
  
  

Leaf Shape
Ovate  
Lance shaped  

Thorns
No  
No  

Season

Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter  
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter  

Growing Conditions
  
  

Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade  
Partial Sun, Partial shade  

Growth Rate
Medium  
Fast  

Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand  
Loam, Sand  

The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral  
Acidic, Neutral  

Soil Drainage
Average  
Average  

Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer  
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer  

Repeat Bloomer
No  
No  

Tolerances
-  
Drought  

Care

Where to Plant?
Ground  
Container, Ground, Pot  

How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting  
By dividing rhizomes, tubers  

Plant Maintenance
Medium  
Medium  

Watering Plants
  
  

Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water more in summer, 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
  
  

Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral  
Acidic, Neutral  

Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand  
Loam, Sand  

Soil Drainage Capacity
Average  
Average  

Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade  
Partial Sun, Partial shade  

Pruning
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Shape and thin as needed  
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 8-4-6 amount  

Pests and Diseases
Aphids  
-  

Plant Tolerance
Drought  
Drought  

Facts

Flowers
Insignificant  
Showy  

Flower Petal Number
Single  
Single  

Fruits
  
  

Showy Fruit
No  
No  

Edible Fruit
No  
No  

Fragrance
  
  

Fragrant Flower
Yes  
Yes  

Fragrant Fruit
No  
No  

Fragrant Leaf
No  
Yes  

Fragrant Bark/Stem
No  
Yes  

Showy Foliage
Yes  
No  

Showy Bark
No  
No  

Foliage Texture
Medium  
Coarse  

Foliage Sheen
-  
Glossy  

Evergreen
No  
No  

Invasive
No  
No  

Self-Sowing
Yes  
Yes  

Attracts
Birds  
Butterflies  

Allergy
-  
Rash  

Benefits

Uses
  
  

Aesthetic Uses
-  
Showy Purposes  

Beauty Benefits
-  
Good for skin  

Edible Uses
Yes  
Yes  

Environmental Uses
Air purification  
Air purification  

Plant Benefits
  
  

Medicinal Uses
-  
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive  

Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves  
Leaves, Rhizomes  

Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea  
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
Mixed Border, Wildflower  
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical  

Scientific Name

Botanical Name
ILEX glabra  
ALPINIA zerumbet  

Common Name
American Pokeweed, Inkberry, Silberstein American Pokeweed  
Shell Ginger  

In Hindi
Inkberry  
Shell Ginger  

In German
Inkberry  
Shell Ginger  

In French
Inkberry  
Shell Ginger  

In Spanish
Inkberry  
Shell jengibre  

In Greek
Inkberry  
Shell Τζίντζερ  

In Portuguese
Inkberry  
Shell Ginger  

In Polish
inkberry  
Shell Imbir  

In Latin
Inkberry  
Crusta Ginger  

Classification

Kingdom
Plantae  
Plantae  

Phylum
-  
Magnoliophyta  

Class
-  
Lilopsida  

Order
Aquifoliales  
Zingiberales  

Family
Phytolaccaceae  
Zingiberaceae  

Genus
Ilex  
Alpinia  

Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots  
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots  

Tribe
-  
Alpinieae  

Subfamily
-  
Alpinioideae  

Number of Species
600  
40
150  
99+

Summary >>
<< Classification

Properties of Inkberry and Shell Ginger

Wondering what are the properties of Inkberry and Shell Ginger? We provide you with everything About Inkberry and Shell Ginger. Inkberry doesn't have thorns and Shell Ginger doesn't have thorns. Also Inkberry does not have fragrant flowers. Inkberry has allergic reactions like and Shell Ginger has allergic reactions like . Compare all the properties and characteristics of these two plants. Find out which of these plant can be used as indoor plant. If you are interested to decorate your house and garden, find out aesthetic uses, compare them and select the plant which will beautify your surrounding. Along with beautification, try comparing medicinal and edible uses of Inkberry and Shell Ginger and you can choose the plant having best and most benefits.

Compare Perennial Flowers

Season and Care of Inkberry and Shell Ginger

Season and care of Inkberry and Shell Ginger is important to know. While considering everything about Inkberry and Shell Ginger Care, growing season is an essential factor. Inkberry season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Shell Ginger season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Inkberry is Clay, Loam, Sand and for Shell Ginger is Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Inkberry is Acidic, Neutral and for Shell Ginger is Acidic, Neutral.

Inkberry and Shell Ginger Physical Information

Inkberry and Shell Ginger physical information is very important for comparison. Inkberry height is 120.00 cm and width 180.00 cm whereas Shell Ginger height is 180.00 cm and width 120.00 cm. The color specification of Inkberry and Shell Ginger are as follows:

Care of Inkberry and Shell Ginger

Care of Inkberry and Shell Ginger include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Inkberry pruning is done No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves and Shape and thin as needed 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 Inkberry 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.

Perennial Flowers

Perennial Flowers

» More Perennial Flowers

Compare Perennial Flowers

» More Compare Perennial Flowers