Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Fruit, Shrub
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
South America
Types
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
V. × heilbornii
Number of Varieties
200
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical regions
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-159-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
11-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm150.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Light Pink
Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Palmate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
Requires regular watering
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, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove shoots
Fertilizers
Apply 8-4-6 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
-
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
-
Allergy
Rash
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Digestive disorders
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Rhizomes
Fruits
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 in making champagne
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
ALPINIA zerumbet
VASCONCELLEA x heilbornii
Common Name
Shell Ginger
Babaco, Mountain Papaya
In Hindi
Shell Ginger
Babaco
In German
Shell Ginger
Babaco
In French
Shell Ginger
Babaco
In Spanish
Shell jengibre
Babaco
In Greek
Shell Τζίντζερ
Babaco
In Portuguese
Shell Ginger
Babaco
In Polish
Shell Imbir
Babaco
In Latin
Crusta Ginger
Babaco
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Lilopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Brassicales
Family
Zingiberaceae
Caricaceae
Genus
Alpinia
Vasconcellea
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Alpinieae
-
Subfamily
Alpinioideae
-
Number of Species
1501
1
27800
👆🏻