Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Southeastern Asia
Types
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Taro Alocasia reginula, Night scented lily
Number of Varieties
2070
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical regions
Terrestrial, Wet lands
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
12-8
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 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
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
-
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Purple, Dark Green, Silver, Black
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Purple, Dark Green, Silver, Black
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Purple, Dark Green, Silver, Black
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green, Silver, Black
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Full Sun, Humidity
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Divison, From bulbs, From Rhizomes
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 Deeply
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Average Water
In Winter
Average Water
Less Watering
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
Apply 8-4-6 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
-
Blight, Mites, Red spider mite
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Full Sun, Humidity
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
Spider Mites
Allergy
Rash
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for insects
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Rhizomes
-
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Leaves used for wrapping zongi, Used to flavour noodles, Used to wrap mochi rice cakes
Air freshner, Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
ALPINIA zerumbet
ALOCASIA reginula
Common Name
Shell Ginger
Elephant Ear
In Hindi
Shell Ginger
Elephant Ear
In German
Shell Ginger
Elephant Ear
In French
Shell Ginger
Elephant Ear
In Spanish
Shell jengibre
Elephant Ear
In Greek
Shell Τζίντζερ
Elephant Ear
In Portuguese
Shell Ginger
Elephant Ear
In Polish
Shell Imbir
Elephant Ear
In Latin
Crusta Ginger
Elephant Ear
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Lilopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Alismatales
Family
Zingiberaceae
Araceae
Genus
Alpinia
Alocasia
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Alpinieae
Colocasiodeae
Subfamily
Alpinioideae
Aroideae
Number of Species
15079
1
27800
👆🏻