Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Shrub
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Eastern Asia, Malaysia
Types
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Plectranthus scutellarioides
Number of Varieties
20150
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical regions
gardens, Subtropical climates, tropical environments
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1511-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
-
Habit
Clump-Forming
Bushy, Evergreen
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Light Pink
-
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
-
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Red, Green, Purple
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Damp
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
Requires a lot of watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Ample Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Damp
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
cut main flower spike, Cut or pinch the stems
Fertilizers
Apply 8-4-6 amount
Full-strength liquid fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
-
Downy mildew, Red blotch, Stem rot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Wet Site
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
-
Allergy
Rash
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes, Used for making hedges
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Provides ground cover, Soil protection, soil stabilisation
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Asthma, Glaucoma, High blood pressure, Liver Protection, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Rhizomes
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
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties, useful as a ground cover
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Container, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
ALPINIA zerumbet
Plectranthus scutellarioides
Common Name
Shell Ginger
Coleus, Painted nettle
In Hindi
Shell Ginger
Coleus
In German
Shell Ginger
Buntnessel
In French
Shell Ginger
Vieux garçon
In Spanish
Shell jengibre
coleo
In Greek
Shell Τζίντζερ
Coleus
In Portuguese
Shell Ginger
cóleus
In Polish
Shell Imbir
Coleus
In Latin
Crusta Ginger
Coleus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Lilopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Lamiales
Family
Zingiberaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Alpinia
Coleus
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Alpinieae
-
Subfamily
Alpinioideae
-
Number of Species
150150
1
27800
👆🏻