Life Span
Perennial
  
Annual and Perennial
  
Type
Tender Perennial
  
Bulb or Corm or Tuber
  
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
  
Central America, South America
  
Types
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
  
Vine, Flowering plant
  
Number of Varieties
Not Available
  
Habitat
Tropical regions
  
All sorts of environments, Along Railroads, Banks, Moist Ditches, Roadsides, rocky banks of streams
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-15
  
10-13
  
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
  
12-1
  
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
  
21,22
  
Habit
Clump-Forming
  
Vining/Climbing
  
Plant Size
  
  
Minimum Width
Not Available
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
White, Red, Light Pink
  
Purple, Rose
  
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
  
Purple, Dark Green, Black
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
  
Light Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
  
Several shades of Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
  
Light Green
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
  
Acicular
  
Thorns
No
  
No
  
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Growth Rate
Fast
  
Very Fast
  
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
  
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
  
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Soil Drainage
Average
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
  
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
  
Repeat Bloomer
No
  
No
  
Tolerances
Drought
  
Drought
  
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
  
Container, Ground
  
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
  
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Tuber propagation
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
  
Keep the Soil well drained, Needs very little 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, Alkaline
  
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
  
Clay, 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
  
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
  
Fertilizers
Apply 8-4-6 amount
  
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
  
Pests and Diseases
No serious insect or disease problems
  
Red blotch
  
Plant Tolerance
Drought
  
Drought
  
Flowers
Showy
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
No
  
No
  
Edible Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
Yes
  
No
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
Yes
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
Yes
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
No
  
Yes
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Coarse
  
Coarse
  
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
  
Matte
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
No
  
No
  
Self-Sowing
Yes
  
No
  
Attracts
Butterflies, Not Available
  
Aphids, Beetles, Cutworms, Insects, Mites, Whiteflies
  
Allergy
Rash
  
Abdominal pain, allergic reaction, Nausea, Skin rash, Twitching of face
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
  
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
  
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
Yes
  
Yes
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification
  
Air purification
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
  
Cures constipation, Fiber, Low calories, lowering blood pressure, Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
  
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Rhizomes
  
Leaves, Root, Shoots, Stem, Tuber
  
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Leaves used for wrapping zongi, Used to flavour noodles, Used to wrap mochi rice cakes
  
Starch, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
  
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
  
Sometimes
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
  
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Hanging Basket, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Vine
  
Botanical Name
ALPINIA zerumbet
  
IPOMOEA batatas 'Blackie'
  
Common Name
Shell Ginger
  
Blackie Sweet Potato Vine, Sweet Potato Vine
  
In Hindi
Shell Ginger
  
शकरकन्द
  
In German
Shell Ginger
  
Süßkartoffel
  
In French
Shell Ginger
  
Patate douce
  
In Spanish
Shell jengibre
  
Ipomoea batatas
  
In Greek
Shell Τζίντζερ
  
Sweet potato
  
In Portuguese
Shell Ginger
  
Batata-doce
  
In Polish
Shell Imbir
  
Wilec ziemniaczany
  
In Latin
Crusta Ginger
  
Ipomoea batatas
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
  
Tracheophyta
  
Class
Lilopsida
  
Magnoliopsida
  
Order
Zingiberales
  
Solanales
  
Family
Zingiberaceae
  
Convolvulaceae
  
Genus
Alpinia
  
Ipomoea
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
  
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
  
Tribe
Alpinieae
  
Not Available
  
Subfamily
Alpinioideae
  
Not Available
  
Number of Species
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Season and Care of Shell Ginger and Sweet Potato Vine
Season and care of Shell Ginger and Sweet Potato Vine is important to know. While considering everything about Shell Ginger and Sweet Potato Vine Care, growing season is an essential factor. Shell Ginger season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Sweet Potato Vine season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Shell Ginger is Loam, Sand and for Sweet Potato Vine is Clay, Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Shell Ginger is Acidic, Neutral and for Sweet Potato Vine is Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline.
Shell Ginger and Sweet Potato Vine Physical Information
Shell Ginger and Sweet Potato Vine physical information is very important for comparison. Shell Ginger height is 180.00 cm and width 120.00 cm whereas Sweet Potato Vine height is 15.00 cm and width Not Available. The color specification of Shell Ginger and Sweet Potato Vine are as follows:
Shell Ginger flower color: White, Red and Light Pink
Shell Ginger leaf color: Dark Green
Sweet Potato Vine flower color: Purple and Rose
- Sweet Potato Vine leaf color: Purple, Dark Green and Black
Care of Shell Ginger and Sweet Potato Vine
Care of Shell Ginger and Sweet Potato Vine include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Shell Ginger pruning is done Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves and Remove dead or diseased plant parts and Sweet Potato Vine pruning is done Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches and Remove dead leaves. In summer Shell Ginger needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Sweet Potato Vine needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.