Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
California
Types
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Heteromeles arbutifolia
Number of Varieties
203
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical regions
Foot Hills, low mountains, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-158-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
21,22
Habit
Clump-Forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Light Pink
White
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Red, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Elliptic
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
Does not require water in summer, Requires watering in the growing season
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
-
Fertilizers
Apply 8-4-6 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Solid Fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
-
Bacterial Diseases, Root Pathogen
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Birds
Allergy
Rash
Acidic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Erosion control
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Body Ache, Stomach pain
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Rhizomes
Fruits, 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
Decoration Purposes, Sauces
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier
Botanical Name
ALPINIA zerumbet
HETEROMELES arbutifolia
Common Name
Shell Ginger
Christmas Berry, California Holly
In Hindi
Shell Ginger
Toyon
In German
Shell Ginger
Toyon
In French
Shell Ginger
Toyon
In Spanish
Shell jengibre
Toyon
In Greek
Shell Τζίντζερ
Toyon
In Portuguese
Shell Ginger
Toyon
In Polish
Shell Imbir
Toyon
In Latin
Crusta Ginger
Toyon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Lilopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Rosales
Family
Zingiberaceae
Rosaceae
Genus
Alpinia
Heteromeles
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Alpinieae
Maleae
Subfamily
Alpinioideae
Amygdaloideae
Number of Species
1506
1
27800
👆🏻