Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Fruit
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Southeastern Asia
Types
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Starfruit
Number of Varieties
202
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical regions
Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1510-14
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
11-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Light Pink
Pink, Rose, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Yellow, Orange, Light Yellow, Lemon yellow, Yellow green, Gold
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Oblovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Frost
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
Average Water Needs, Requires watering in 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, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
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
Prune in winter, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Apply 8-4-6 amount
Fertilize every year
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Rash
Kidney Stone
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for birds, Food for insects, Nesting sites for birds, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Anti-oxidant, Antioxidants, High blood pressure, Nutrients
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Rhizomes
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Leaves used for wrapping zongi, Used to flavour noodles, Used to wrap mochi rice cakes
Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Tropical
Botanical Name
ALPINIA zerumbet
AVERRHOA carambola
Common Name
Shell Ginger
Carambola, Starfruit
In Hindi
Shell Ginger
carambola पेड़
In German
Shell Ginger
Sternfrucht Baum
In French
Shell Ginger
arbre carambole
In Spanish
Shell jengibre
árbol de carambola
In Greek
Shell Τζίντζερ
carambola δέντρο
In Portuguese
Shell Ginger
árvore de carambola
In Polish
Shell Imbir
karambola drzewo
In Latin
Crusta Ginger
carambola ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Lilopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Oxalidales
Family
Zingiberaceae
Oxalidaceae
Genus
Alpinia
Averrhoa
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Alpinieae
-
Subfamily
Alpinioideae
-
Number of Species
150180
1
27800
👆🏻