Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tree
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
India, Nepal, China
Types
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Betula utilis
Number of Varieties
202
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical regions
Mountains
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-155-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
7-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Clump-Forming
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm760.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Light Pink
Tan, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Yellow green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Yellow
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Cordiform
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
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Early Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Grafting, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Average Water
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
Average
Average
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Apply 8-4-6 amount
Fertilize in early spring, Fertilize in late fall, slow-release fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
-
Honey fungus, Leaves with brown tip, Phytophthora Root Rot, Powdery mildew, Verticillium Wilt
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Dry Conditions, waterlogging, Wet Site
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
-
Allergy
Rash
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Antioxidants, Antiseptic, Carminative
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Rhizomes
Bark, 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 in construction, Wood is used in construction
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
ALPINIA zerumbet
BETULA utilis
Common Name
Shell Ginger
Himalayan Birch
In Hindi
Shell Ginger
हिमालय सन्टी
In German
Shell Ginger
Himalaya-Birke
In French
Shell Ginger
bouleau de l'Himalaya
In Spanish
Shell jengibre
abedul del Himalaya
In Greek
Shell Τζίντζερ
Himalayan σημύδας
In Portuguese
Shell Ginger
bétula Himalaia
In Polish
Shell Imbir
Himalayan brzoza
In Latin
Crusta Ginger
Birch Himalayan
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Lilopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Fagales
Family
Zingiberaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Alpinia
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Alpinieae
-
Subfamily
Alpinioideae
-
Number of Species
15030
1
27800
👆🏻