Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Tender Perennial
Origin
Middle Africa
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Types
Perennial Grass
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Habitat
Floodplains, Forest margins, Tropical regions, waterways, Wet lands, Woodlands
Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-11
8-15
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, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
Sandy Brown
White, Red, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Multi-Color
Leaf Color in Spring
Purple
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple
Dark Green
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Lance shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Tolerances
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Budding, Seedlings
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering, Water more in summer
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, 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 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
Nitrogen, organic fertlizers
Apply 8-4-6 amount
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch
-
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
Yes
Foliage Texture
Fine
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Attracts
Birds, Flying insects
Butterflies
Allergy
Asthma, breathing problems
Rash
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Amazing growth rate, Food for animals, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shelter for wildlife, Wildlife, Windbreak
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Eye Problems, Headache, Skin Disorders, Wounds
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds
Leaves, Rhizomes
Other Uses
Food for animals, Used As Food
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
Bedding Plant, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
PENNISETUM purpureum 'Prince'
ALPINIA zerumbet
Common Name
Elephant Grass
Shell Ginger
In Hindi
हाथी घास
Shell Ginger
In German
Elefantengras
Shell Ginger
In French
l'herbe à éléphant
Shell Ginger
In Spanish
pasto elefante
Shell jengibre
In Greek
ελέφαντα χόρτο
Shell Τζίντζερ
In Portuguese
capim-elefante
Shell Ginger
In Polish
trawa słoniowa
Shell Imbir
In Latin
elephanti herba
Crusta Ginger
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Lilopsida
Order
Poales
Zingiberales
Family
Poaceae
Zingiberaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Subfamily
Panicoideae
Alpinioideae
Importance of Elephant Grass and Shell Ginger
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Elephant Grass and Shell Ginger. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Elephant Grass 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 Elephant Grass is Eye Problems, Headache, Skin Disorders and Wounds whereas of Shell Ginger is Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic and Hypotensive. Elephant Grass has beauty benefits as follows: while Shell Ginger has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Elephant Grass 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 Elephant Grass 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 Elephant Grass are Asthma and breathing problems whereas of Shell Ginger have Rash respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Elephant Grass has no showy fruits and Shell Ginger has no showy fruits. Also Elephant Grass is not flowering and Shell Ginger is not flowering . You can compare Elephant Grass and Shell Ginger facts and facts of other plants too.