Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Central America, South America
Types
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Maranta leuconeura
Number of Varieties
2040
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical regions
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Subtropical forests
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H2
Habit
Clump-Forming
-
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm25.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm25.00 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
Ovate elongated
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
-
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
-
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Cuttings, root cutting, Root Division
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
Requires plenty of water during the growing season, Sprinkle water over foliage
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
-
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
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
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
-
Mealy bugs, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
-
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Ants, Aphids, Hummingbirds, Mealybugs, Spider Mites
Allergy
Rash
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes, Used as an interior landscaping species
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Antioxidants, Antiviral
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Rhizomes
Root
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Leaves used for wrapping zongi, Used to flavour noodles, Used to wrap mochi rice cakes
Air freshner, Container, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Tropical
Botanical Name
ALPINIA zerumbet
CALATHEA ornata
Common Name
Shell Ginger
Prayer Plant
In Hindi
Shell Ginger
Prayer plant
In German
Shell Ginger
Maranta leuconeura
In French
Shell Ginger
Prayer plant
In Spanish
Shell jengibre
maranta leuconeura
In Greek
Shell Τζίντζερ
Prayer Plant
In Portuguese
Shell Ginger
Маранта
In Polish
Shell Imbir
Prayer plant
In Latin
Crusta Ginger
Prayer plant
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Vascular plant
Class
Lilopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Zingiberales
Family
Zingiberaceae
Marantaceae
Genus
Alpinia
Calathea
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Alpinieae
-
Subfamily
Alpinioideae
-
Number of Species
150300
1
27800
👆🏻