Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tender Perennial
Origin
-
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Types
Alocasia macrorhizzos, Alocasia odora
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Number of Varieties
-20
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Pastures, Wet forest
Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-128-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
12-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 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
White
White, Red, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
-
Multi-Color
Fruit Color
Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Lime Green, Dark Green, Bronze
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Lime Green, Dark Green, Bronze
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Lime Green, Dark Green, Bronze
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Lime Green, Dark Green, Bronze
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
Lance shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
creeping rhizomes, Vegetative Reproduction
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs a lot of water initially
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
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Partial shade, Full Shade
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
since leafy plants, use higher nitrogen content fertilizer, slow-release fertilizers
Apply 8-4-6 amount
Pests and Diseases
Alternaria Leaf Spot, Leaf rust, Leaf spot, Snails
-
Plant Tolerance
Full Sun, Humidity, Soil Compaction
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, pollinators, Snakes
Butterflies
Allergy
conjunctivitis, Itchy eyes, Sore Throat, Vomiting
Rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Glowing Skin, Hair Conditioner
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Absorbs huge amounts of CO2, soil stabilisation, Very little waste
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Digestion problems, Rheumatism
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Rhizomes
Leaves, Rhizomes
Other Uses
Application in Handicrafts, Florist trade and landscaping, Showy Purposes
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, Tropical
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA x amazonica
ALPINIA zerumbet
Common Name
African Mask, Amazon Taro, Elephant Ear
Shell Ginger
In Hindi
Alocasia
Shell Ginger
In German
Alocasia
Shell Ginger
In French
Alocasia
Shell Ginger
In Spanish
Alocasia
Shell jengibre
In Greek
Alocasia
Shell Τζίντζερ
In Portuguese
Alocasia
Shell Ginger
In Polish
Alocasia
Shell Imbir
In Latin
Alocasia
Crusta Ginger
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Lilopsida
Order
Arales
Zingiberales
Family
Araceae
Zingiberaceae
Genus
Alocasia
Alpinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Colocasiodeae
Alpinieae
Subfamily
Aroideae
Alpinioideae
Number of Species
-150
1
27800
👆🏻