Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fruit, Shrub
Tender Perennial
Origin
South America
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Types
V. × heilbornii
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Number of Varieties
020
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-118-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-9
12-5
Sunset Zone
H1, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
White, Red, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Multi-Color
Fruit Color
Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Palmate
Lance shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Vegetative Reproduction
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Requires plenty of water during 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
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove shoots
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Apply 8-4-6 amount
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Butterflies
Allergy
-
Rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Digestive disorders
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Leaves, Rhizomes
Other Uses
Used in making champagne
Can be made into a herbal tea, Leaves used for wrapping zongi, Used to flavour noodles, Used to wrap mochi rice cakes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
VASCONCELLEA x heilbornii
ALPINIA zerumbet
Common Name
Babaco, Mountain Papaya
Shell Ginger
In Hindi
Babaco
Shell Ginger
In German
Babaco
Shell Ginger
In French
Babaco
Shell Ginger
In Spanish
Babaco
Shell jengibre
In Greek
Babaco
Shell Τζίντζερ
In Portuguese
Babaco
Shell Ginger
In Polish
Babaco
Shell Imbir
In Latin
Babaco
Crusta Ginger
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Lilopsida
Order
Brassicales
Zingiberales
Family
Caricaceae
Zingiberaceae
Genus
Vasconcellea
Alpinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Alpinieae
Subfamily
-
Alpinioideae
Number of Species
1150
1
27800
👆🏻