Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
North America, Southwestern United States, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean
Types
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Astrophytum ornatum, Echinocactus grusonii, Echinocactus grusonii
Number of Varieties
206
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical regions
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1512-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm15.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Light Pink
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
-
Fruit Color
-
Lemon yellow
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Succulent
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
Do not water frequently
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
-
Fertilizers
Apply 8-4-6 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
-
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
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
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Rhizomes
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Leaves used for wrapping zongi, Used to flavour noodles, Used to wrap mochi rice cakes
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
ALPINIA zerumbet
FEROCACTUS
Common Name
Shell Ginger
barrel cactus
In Hindi
Shell Ginger
barrel cactus
In German
Shell Ginger
Fass-Kaktus-
In French
Shell Ginger
Barrel cactus
In Spanish
Shell jengibre
biznaga
In Greek
Shell Τζίντζερ
βαρέλι κάκτος
In Portuguese
Shell Ginger
Barrel cactus
In Polish
Shell Imbir
cactus Barrel
In Latin
Crusta Ginger
cactus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Lilopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Caryophyllales
Family
Zingiberaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Alpinia
Ferocactus
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
-
Tribe
Alpinieae
-
Subfamily
Alpinioideae
-
Number of Species
15010
1
27800
👆🏻