Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Tender Perennial
Origin
North America, United States, Western United States, Southwestern United States, Mexico
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Types
Grasses
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Number of Varieties
120
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas
Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-98-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9 - 5
12-5
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
45.70 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White hair and some brown spots on margins and at tips
White, Red, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Multi-Color
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Tan
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Lance shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Divison, Seedlings
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
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
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full 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
Beetles, Grasshoppers
-
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
Fine
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Butterflies
Allergy
-
Rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Erosion control
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cuts
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Leaves, Rhizomes
Other Uses
Used to feed livestock
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
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Lawns and Turf, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
BOUTELOUA gracilis
ALPINIA zerumbet
Common Name
Blue Grama Grass, Mosquito Grass
Shell Ginger
In Hindi
Bouteloua gracilis
Shell Ginger
In German
Bouteloua Gracilis
Shell Ginger
In French
Bouteloua aristidoides
Shell Ginger
In Spanish
Chondrosum gracile
Shell jengibre
In Greek
Bouteloua gracilis
Shell Τζίντζερ
In Portuguese
Bouteloua Gracilis
Shell Ginger
In Polish
Bouteloua Gracilis
Shell Imbir
In Latin
Bouteloua Gracilis
Crusta Ginger
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Lilopsida
Order
Cyperales
Zingiberales
Family
Poaceae
Zingiberaceae
Genus
Bouteloua
Alpinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Cynodonteae
Alpinieae
Subfamily
Chloridoideae
Alpinioideae
Number of Species
100150
1
27800
👆🏻