Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Southern Europe, Mediterranean
Types
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Silver Lace, Cirrus
Number of Varieties
203
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical regions
Coastal Regions, Warmer regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-157-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm20.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Light Pink
White, Yellow, Purple
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Blue Green, Silver
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Blue Green, Silver
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Blue Green, Silver
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season, 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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
Apply 8-4-6 amount
fertilize every 2-3 weeks while growing, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
-
Blight, Downy mildew, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Rust, White mold
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Flying insects, Insects
Allergy
Rash
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation, Skin rash, Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
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
Headache, Menstrual Disorders, Migraines
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
Employed in herbal medicine, 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, Cutflower, Edging, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
ALPINIA zerumbet
CENTAUREA cineraria
Common Name
Shell Ginger
Silver dust
In Hindi
Shell Ginger
डस्टी मिलर
In German
Shell Ginger
Dusty Miller
In French
Shell Ginger
Dusty Miller
In Spanish
Shell jengibre
Dusty Miller
In Greek
Shell Τζίντζερ
Dusty Miller
In Portuguese
Shell Ginger
Dusty Miller
In Polish
Shell Imbir
Dusty Miller
In Latin
Crusta Ginger
Dusty Cicero
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Anthophyta
Class
Lilopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Asterales
Family
Zingiberaceae
Asteraceae
Genus
Alpinia
Centaurea
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Alpinieae
Cynareae
Subfamily
Alpinioideae
Carduoideae
Number of Species
1501
1
27800
👆🏻