Life Span
Biennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tender Perennial
Origin
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Types
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Habitat
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-13
8-15
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
White, Red, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Multi-Color
Fruit Color
Green, Sandy Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Dark Green
Leaf Shape
Butterfly shaped
Lance shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water Deeply
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 pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Apply N-P-K
Apply 8-4-6 amount
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
Yes
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Attracts
Birds
Butterflies
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Carminative, Laxative
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Part of Plant Used
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Leaves, Rhizomes
Other Uses
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
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
No
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
BAUHINIA purpurea
ALPINIA zerumbet
Common Name
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
Shell Ginger
In Hindi
Butterfly tree
Shell Ginger
In German
Schmetterlings- Baum
Shell Ginger
In French
arbre de papillon
Shell Ginger
In Spanish
árbol de la mariposa
Shell jengibre
In Greek
δέντρο πεταλούδα
Shell Τζίντζερ
In Portuguese
árvore borboleta
Shell Ginger
In Polish
drzewo Butterfly
Shell Imbir
In Latin
Gloria ligno
Crusta Ginger
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Lilopsida
Order
Fabales
Zingiberales
Family
Fabaceae
Zingiberaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Cercideae
Alpinieae
Subfamily
Caesalpinioideae
Alpinioideae
Importance of Butterfly Tree and Shell Ginger
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Butterfly Tree and Shell Ginger. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Butterfly Tree and Shell Ginger as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Butterfly Tree is Carminative and Laxative whereas of Shell Ginger is Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic and Hypotensive. Butterfly Tree has beauty benefits as follows: while Shell Ginger has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Butterfly Tree vs Shell Ginger
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Butterfly Tree vs Shell Ginger and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Butterfly Tree are whereas of Shell Ginger have Rash respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Butterfly Tree has no showy fruits and Shell Ginger has no showy fruits. Also Butterfly Tree is not flowering and Shell Ginger is not flowering . You can compare Butterfly Tree and Shell Ginger facts and facts of other plants too.