Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tender Perennial
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Types
A. houstonianum f. isochroum, A. houstonianum f. luteum, A. houstonianum var. muticescens
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Number of Varieties
620
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden
Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-138-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-5
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Blue, Blue Violet
White, Red, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
-
Multi-Color
Fruit Color
Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Lance shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Keep the Soil well drained
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, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
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
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
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Butterflies
Allergy
allergic reaction, Poisonous, Skin irritation
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
Anodyne, Cuts, Wounds
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Leaves, Rhizomes
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
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
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Edging, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
AGERATUM houstonianum
ALPINIA zerumbet
Common Name
Ageratum, Blue Mink, Flossflower
Shell Ginger
In Hindi
Blue Mink
Plant
Shell Ginger
In German
Blue Mink
Pflanze
Shell Ginger
In French
Bleu Mink
Plante
Shell Ginger
In Spanish
azul Mink
Planta
Shell jengibre
In Greek
μπλε βιζόν
Φυτό
Shell Τζίντζερ
In Portuguese
azul Mink
Plantar
Shell Ginger
In Polish
niebieski Mink
Roślina
Shell Imbir
In Latin
blue Mink
planta
Crusta Ginger
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Lilopsida
Order
Asterales
Zingiberales
Family
Asteraceae
Zingiberaceae
Genus
Ageratum
Alpinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Eupatorieae
Alpinieae
Subfamily
Asteroideae
Alpinioideae
Number of Species
1150
1
27800
👆🏻