Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tender Perennial
Shrub
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Southern Africa
Types
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Number of Varieties
2020
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical regions
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-159-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Light Pink
White
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
-
Fruit Color
-
Light Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark 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
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Elliptic and Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
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
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Shade areas
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water daily during growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
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
Pruning
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Apply 8-4-6 amount
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
-
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Shade areas
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
Allergy
Rash
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Rhizomes
Flowers, 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
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
ALPINIA zerumbet
CARISSA macrocarpa
Common Name
Shell Ginger
Carissia
In Hindi
Shell Ginger
Carissa
In German
Shell Ginger
carissa
In French
Shell Ginger
carissa
In Spanish
Shell jengibre
carissa
In Greek
Shell Τζίντζερ
carissa
In Portuguese
Shell Ginger
carissa
In Polish
Shell Imbir
carissa
In Latin
Crusta Ginger
carissa
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Lilopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Gentianales
Family
Zingiberaceae
Apocynaceae
Genus
Alpinia
Carissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Alpinieae
Carisseae
Subfamily
Alpinioideae
Rauvolfioideae
Number of Species
150100
1
27800
👆🏻