Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Tender Perennial
Origin
Mexico
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Types
-
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Number of Varieties
2020
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Rocky areas, Well Drained
Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-158-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
12-5
Sunset Zone
12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
White, Red, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Multi-Color
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Succulent
Lance shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Stem Cutting
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs very little water
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
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
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
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
Bold
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
-
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Butterflies
Allergy
-
Rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bonsai, Mixed Border
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Part of Plant Used
-
Leaves, Rhizomes
Other Uses
-
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
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
ECHINOCACTUS grusonii
ALPINIA zerumbet
Common Name
golden barrel cactus
golden ball
mother-in-law's cushion
Shell Ginger
In Hindi
Golden ball
Shell Ginger
In German
goldene Kugel
Shell Ginger
In French
boule d'or
Shell Ginger
In Spanish
bola de oro
Shell jengibre
In Greek
χρυσή μπάλα
Shell Τζίντζερ
In Portuguese
bola de ouro
Shell Ginger
In Polish
Złota piłka
Shell Imbir
In Latin
Aurea Ball
Crusta Ginger
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Lilopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Zingiberales
Family
Cactaceae
Zingiberaceae
Genus
Echinocactus
Alpinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Cacteae
Alpinieae
Subfamily
Cactaceae
Alpinioideae
Number of Species
15150
1
27800
👆🏻