Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
North America, South America, Brazil
Types
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Peanut cactus
Number of Varieties
20128
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical regions
Desert, Sandy areas, Semi desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1512-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
12, 13, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm15.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Light Pink
White, Yellow, Red, Purple, Orange, Rose
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
-
Fruit Color
-
Green, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Succulent
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
-
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Grafting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
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, Water once every two or three weeks, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Average Water
In Winter
Average Water
Less Watering
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Apply 8-4-6 amount
fertilize in growing season, fertilize in summer, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
-
Mealybugs, Scale
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Hummingbirds
Allergy
Rash
Skin cuts
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for insects, Versatility, Very little waste
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Burns, Heals minor burns, Heart problems, High blood pressure, Wounds
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
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
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
ALPINIA zerumbet
ECHINOPSIS
Common Name
Shell Ginger
Hedgehog Cactus, Sea urchin cactus
In Hindi
Shell Ginger
हाथी कैक्टस
In German
Shell Ginger
Igel Kaktus
In French
Shell Ginger
hérisson cactus
In Spanish
Shell jengibre
cactus de erizo
In Greek
Shell Τζίντζερ
κάκτος σκαντζόχοιρος
In Portuguese
Shell Ginger
hedgehog cactus
In Polish
Shell Imbir
jeż kaktus
In Latin
Crusta Ginger
cactus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Lilopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Caryophyllales
Family
Zingiberaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Alpinia
Echinopsis
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Alpinieae
Trichocereeae
Subfamily
Alpinioideae
Cactoideae
Number of Species
1502000
1
27800
👆🏻