Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Grass
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
China, Japan
Types
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Slender Weavers Bamboo, Golden Buddha's Belly Bamboo, Painted Bamboo
Number of Varieties
201
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical regions
Subtropical climates, Subtropical forests
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-159-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
12 - 9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm152.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm5.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Light Pink
Red
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Divison
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
Allow to dry out slightly between watering, Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Less Watering
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Cut the culms, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Apply 8-4-6 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, fertilize in growing season
Pests and Diseases
-
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
-
Flowers
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Butterflies, Mites
Allergy
Rash
Pollen, Rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Bonsai
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Good for skin and hair
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Healthy teeth, Pain in gums
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Rhizomes
Sap, Stem
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Leaves used for wrapping zongi, Used to flavour noodles, Used to wrap mochi rice cakes
Container, Espalier, Screen, Used in paper industry
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Screening / Wind Break, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
ALPINIA zerumbet
BAMBUSA ventricosa
Common Name
Shell Ginger
Buddha's Belly Bamboo, Clumping Bamboo, Ventricose Bamboo
In Hindi
Shell Ginger
बुद्ध के पेट बांस
In German
Shell Ginger
Buddhas Bauch Bambus
In French
Shell Ginger
Le Bamboo Belly de Bouddha
In Spanish
Shell jengibre
De bambú del vientre de Buda
In Greek
Shell Τζίντζερ
Κοιλιά Μπαμπού Βούδα
In Portuguese
Shell Ginger
Bamboo barriga de Buda
In Polish
Shell Imbir
Buddy Belly Bamboo
In Latin
Crusta Ginger
Buddha ventre Bamboo
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Lilopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Poales
Family
Zingiberaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Alpinia
Bambusa
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Alpinieae
Bambuseae
Subfamily
Alpinioideae
Bambusoideae
Number of Species
1501
1
27800
👆🏻