Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tree
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
Types
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
Number of Varieties
2020
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical regions
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-159-13
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm760.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm17.80 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Light Pink
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Butterfly shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
Average Water Needs, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water Deeply
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Apply 8-4-6 amount
Apply N-P-K
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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Birds
Allergy
Rash
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Carminative, Laxative
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Rhizomes
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Leaves used for wrapping zongi, Used to flavour noodles, Used to wrap mochi rice cakes
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
ALPINIA zerumbet
BAUHINIA purpurea
Common Name
Shell Ginger
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
In Hindi
Shell Ginger
Butterfly tree
In German
Shell Ginger
Schmetterlings- Baum
In French
Shell Ginger
arbre de papillon
In Spanish
Shell jengibre
árbol de la mariposa
In Greek
Shell Τζίντζερ
δέντρο πεταλούδα
In Portuguese
Shell Ginger
árvore borboleta
In Polish
Shell Imbir
drzewo Butterfly
In Latin
Crusta Ginger
Gloria ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Lilopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Fabales
Family
Zingiberaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Alpinia
Bauhinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Alpinieae
Cercideae
Subfamily
Alpinioideae
Caesalpinioideae
Number of Species
150500
1
27800
👆🏻