Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Southeastern United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Types
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
-
Number of Varieties
20-
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical regions
subtropical regions, Tropical regions
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
-
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm45.70 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Light Pink
-
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Narrowly elliptic
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
By dividing rhizomes, tubers, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water
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
Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Apply 8-4-6 amount
N-P-K balanced liquid fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
-
-
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
-
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Bees, Butterflies
Allergy
Rash
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Borders, Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Cures poisoning from fish
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Rhizomes
Bulbs
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 Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Bog Garden, Container, Cutflower, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical, Wildflower
Botanical Name
ALPINIA zerumbet
BLETIA purpurea
Common Name
Shell Ginger
Candelaria, Pinepink, Purple Bletia Orchid, Sharp-petaled Bletia Orchid
In Hindi
Shell Ginger
Candelaria
In German
Shell Ginger
Candelaria
In French
Shell Ginger
Candelaria
In Spanish
Shell jengibre
Candelaria
In Greek
Shell Τζίντζερ
Candelaria
In Portuguese
Shell Ginger
Candelaria
In Polish
Shell Imbir
Candelaria
In Latin
Crusta Ginger
Candelaria
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Lilopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Orchidales
Family
Zingiberaceae
Orchidaceae
Genus
Alpinia
Bletia
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Alpinieae
Arethuseae
Subfamily
Alpinioideae
Epidendroideae
Number of Species
150-
1
27800
👆🏻