Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Bulb or Corm or Tuber
Tender Perennial
Origin
Europe, Turkey, Central Asia, Western Asia
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Types
Colchicum cupanii, Colchicum alpinum
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Habitat
Fields, meadows, Rocky areas, Shaded sites, Woodlands
Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
Not Available
8-15
AHS Heat Zone
Not Available
12-5
Sunset Zone
21,22
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
White, Yellow, Purple, Violet
White, Red, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Multi-Color
Fruit Color
Not Available
Not Available
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Several shades of Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Lance shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall, Winter, Late Winter
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Divison, Seedlings
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Medium, Needs less watering, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water less during winter
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
In Summer
Ample Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Less Watering
Moderate
In Winter
Less Watering
Average Water
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove shoots
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, Less fertilizing
Apply 8-4-6 amount
Pests and Diseases
Not Available
Not Available
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single, Double
Single
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
Yes
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Not Available
Glossy
Attracts
Bees, Butterflies
Butterflies, Not Available
Allergy
Kidney Disease, Low blood pressure, Stomach pain, Toxic, Vomiting
Rash
Aesthetic Uses
Landscape Designing
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
Good for skin
Environmental Uses
Air purification, No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent Soil Erosion
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, Diarrhea, Diuretic, Rheumatism
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Leaves, Rhizomes
Other Uses
Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
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
Yes
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Alpine, Container, Cutflower, Foundation, Lawns and Turf, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
COLCHICUM
ALPINIA zerumbet
Common Name
Colchicum
Shell Ginger
In Hindi
colchicum
Shell Ginger
In German
colchicum
Shell Ginger
In French
colchique
Shell Ginger
In Spanish
Colchicum
Shell jengibre
In Greek
Colchicum
Shell Τζίντζερ
In Portuguese
Colchicum
Shell Ginger
In Polish
Colchicum
Shell Imbir
In Latin
Colchicum
Crusta Ginger
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Lilopsida
Order
Liliales
Zingiberales
Family
Liliaceae
Zingiberaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Not Available
Alpinieae
Subfamily
Wurmbaeiodeae
Alpinioideae
Number of Species
Not Available
Importance of Colchicum and Shell Ginger
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Colchicum and Shell Ginger. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Colchicum 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 Colchicum is anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, Diarrhea, Diuretic and Rheumatism whereas of Shell Ginger is Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic and Hypotensive. Colchicum has beauty benefits as follows: Not Available while Shell Ginger has beauty benefits as follows: Not Available.
Compare Facts of Colchicum 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 Colchicum 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 Colchicum are Kidney Disease, Low blood pressure, Stomach pain, Toxic and Vomiting whereas of Shell Ginger have Rash respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Colchicum has no showy fruits and Shell Ginger has no showy fruits. Also Colchicum is not flowering and Shell Ginger is not flowering . You can compare Colchicum and Shell Ginger facts and facts of other plants too.
