Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Bulb or Corm or Tuber
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Europe, Turkey, Central Asia, Western Asia
Types
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Colchicum cupanii, Colchicum alpinum
Habitat
Tropical regions
Fields, meadows, Rocky areas, Shaded sites, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-15
Not Available
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
Not Available
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
21,22
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
White, Red, Light Pink
White, Yellow, Purple, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Not Available
Not Available
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Several shades of Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Long Linear
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Early Spring, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall, Winter, Late Winter
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Requirements
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
Do Not over Water, Medium, Needs less watering, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water less during winter
In Summer
Lots of watering
Ample Water
In Spring
Moderate
Less Watering
In Winter
Average Water
Less Watering
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
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 damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove shoots
Fertilizers
Apply 8-4-6 amount
fertilize in growing season, Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
No serious insect or disease problems
Not Available
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single, Double
Fragrant Bark/Stem
Yes
No
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Not Available
Attracts
Butterflies, Not Available
Bees, Butterflies
Allergy
Rash
Kidney Disease, Low blood pressure, Stomach pain, Toxic, Vomiting
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Landscape Designing
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
No Beauty Benefits
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent Soil Erosion
Medicinal Uses
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, Diarrhea, Diuretic, Rheumatism
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Rhizomes
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Leaves used for wrapping zongi, Used to flavour noodles, Used to wrap mochi rice cakes
Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Alpine, Container, Cutflower, Foundation, Lawns and Turf, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
ALPINIA zerumbet
COLCHICUM
Common Name
Shell Ginger
Colchicum
In Hindi
Shell Ginger
colchicum
In German
Shell Ginger
colchicum
In French
Shell Ginger
colchique
In Spanish
Shell jengibre
Colchicum
In Greek
Shell Τζίντζερ
Colchicum
In Portuguese
Shell Ginger
Colchicum
In Polish
Shell Imbir
Colchicum
In Latin
Crusta Ginger
Colchicum
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Lilopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Liliales
Family
Zingiberaceae
Liliaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Alpinieae
Not Available
Subfamily
Alpinioideae
Wurmbaeiodeae
Number of Species
Not Available
Importance of Shell Ginger and Colchicum
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Shell Ginger and Colchicum. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Shell Ginger and Colchicum as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Shell Ginger is Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic and Hypotensive whereas of Colchicum is anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, Diarrhea, Diuretic and Rheumatism. Shell Ginger has beauty benefits as follows: Good for skin while Colchicum has beauty benefits as follows: Good for skin.
Compare Facts of Shell Ginger vs Colchicum
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Shell Ginger vs Colchicum and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Shell Ginger are Rash whereas of Colchicum have Kidney Disease, Low blood pressure, Stomach pain, Toxic and Vomiting respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Shell Ginger has no showy fruits and Colchicum has no showy fruits. Also Shell Ginger is not flowering and Colchicum is not flowering . You can compare Shell Ginger and Colchicum facts and facts of other plants too.