Life Span
Perennial
  
Perennial
  
Type
Tender Perennial
  
Flowering Plants, Fruits, Herbs, Shrubs
  
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
  
Australia, South America
  
Types
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
  
Adams Elderberry, Black Beauty Elderberry, Black Lace Elderberry, Johns Elderberry, Nova Elderberry
  
Number of Varieties
Not Available
  
Habitat
Tropical regions
  
Farms, Homesteads, Near organic waste disposal
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-15
  
4-8
  
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
  
8-1
  
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
  
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17
  
Habit
Clump-Forming
  
Upright/Erect
  
Plant Size
  
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
White, Red, Light Pink
  
White
  
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
  
Not Available
  
Fruit Color
Not Available
  
Purple, Red
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
  
Green
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
  
Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
  
Yellow green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
  
Not Available
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
  
Compound
  
Thorns
No
  
No
  
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Early Spring
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
  
Full Sun, Part sun
  
Growth Rate
Fast
  
Medium
  
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
  
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
  
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
  
Slightly Acidic
  
Soil Drainage
Average
  
Average
  
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
  
Early Spring, Spring
  
Repeat Bloomer
No
  
No
  
Tolerances
Drought
  
Pollution
  
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
  
Ground
  
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
  
Grafting, Seedlings
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
  
Requires regular watering, Use Mulches to help prevent water loss during hot and windy weather
  
In Summer
Lots of watering
  
Lots of watering
  
In Spring
Moderate
  
Moderate
  
In Winter
Average Water
  
Average Water
  
Soil
  
  
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
  
Slightly Acidic
  
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
  
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
  
Average
  
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
  
Full Sun, Part sun
  
Pruning
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
  
Cut or pinch the stems, No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune for shortening long shoots, Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune in winter, Prune ocassionally, Remove deadheads
  
Fertilizers
Apply 8-4-6 amount
  
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
  
Pests and Diseases
No serious insect or disease problems
  
Canker, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew, Stem spot, Tomato Ringspot Virus
  
Plant Tolerance
Drought
  
Drought
  
Flowers
Showy
  
Yes
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
No
  
No
  
Edible Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
Yes
  
No
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
Yes
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
Yes
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
No
  
No
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Coarse
  
Medium
  
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
  
Matte
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
No
  
Sometimes
  
Self-Sowing
Yes
  
No
  
Attracts
Butterflies, Not Available
  
Birds
  
Allergy
Rash
  
Diarrhea, Nausea, Vomiting
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
  
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
  
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
Yes
  
Yes
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification
  
Air purification
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
  
constipation, Fever, Heart problems, High cholestrol, HIV/AIDS, Nerve pain, swine flu
  
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
  
Not Available
  
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
  
No
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
  
Not Available
  
Botanical Name
ALPINIA zerumbet
  
Sambucus nigra
  
Common Name
Shell Ginger
  
Elderberry
  
In Hindi
Shell Ginger
  
Elderberry
  
In German
Shell Ginger
  
Holunderbeere
  
In French
Shell Ginger
  
Sureau
  
In Spanish
Shell jengibre
  
Saúco
  
In Greek
Shell Τζίντζερ
  
Elderberry
  
In Portuguese
Shell Ginger
  
Sabugueiro
  
In Polish
Shell Imbir
  
Bez czarny
  
In Latin
Crusta Ginger
  
Elderberry
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
  
Magnoliophyta
  
Class
Lilopsida
  
Magnoliopsida
  
Order
Zingiberales
  
Dipsacales
  
Family
Zingiberaceae
  
Adoxaceae
  
Genus
Alpinia
  
Sambucus
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
  
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
  
Tribe
Alpinieae
  
Not Available
  
Subfamily
Alpinioideae
  
Not Available
  
Number of Species
Not Available
  
Importance of Shell Ginger and Elderberry
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Shell Ginger and Elderberry. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Shell Ginger and Elderberry 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 Elderberry is constipation, Fever, Heart problems, High cholestrol, HIV/AIDS, Nerve pain and swine flu. Shell Ginger has beauty benefits as follows: Good for skin while Elderberry has beauty benefits as follows: Good for skin.
Compare Facts of Shell Ginger vs Elderberry
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 Elderberry 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 Elderberry have Diarrhea, Nausea 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 Elderberry has no showy fruits. Also Shell Ginger is not flowering and Elderberry is flowering. You can compare Shell Ginger and Elderberry facts and facts of other plants too.