Life Span
Perennial
  
Perennial
  
Type
Tender Perennial
  
Shrub
  
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
  
Europe, Morocco, Western Asia
  
Types
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
  
Not Available
  
Habitat
Tropical regions
  
Boggy areas, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Mountain Slopes, Temperate Regions
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-15
  
5-8
  
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
  
8-5
  
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
  
A1, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 15, 16, 17
  
Habit
Clump-Forming
  
Clump-Forming
  
Plant Size
  
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
White, Red, Light Pink
  
White, Red, Pink
  
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
  
Not Available
  
Fruit Color
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
  
Green, Gray Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
  
Green, Gray Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
  
Green, Gray Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
  
Gray Green, Dark Green
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
  
Needle like
  
Thorns
No
  
No
  
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
  
Loam, Sand
  
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
  
Acidic
  
Soil Drainage
Average
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
  
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
  
Repeat Bloomer
No
  
No
  
Tolerances
Drought
  
Not Available
  
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
  
Ground, Pot
  
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
  
Divison, Seedlings, Stem Cutting
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Low
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
  
Average Water Needs
  
In Summer
Lots of watering
  
Lots of watering
  
In Spring
Moderate
  
Moderate
  
In Winter
Average Water
  
Average Water
  
Soil
  
  
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
  
Acidic
  
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
  
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
  
Prune in early summer, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
  
Fertilizers
Apply 8-4-6 amount
  
Ammonium Nitrate
  
Pests and Diseases
No serious insect or disease problems
  
Armillaria mellea, Chlorosis, Crown rot, Powdery mildew, Root rot, Rust, Verticillium Wilt
  
Plant Tolerance
Drought
  
Drought, Dry soil, Shade areas, Wet Site
  
Flowers
Showy
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single, Double, Semi-Double
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
No
  
No
  
Edible Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
Yes
  
Yes
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
Yes
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
Yes
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
No
  
No
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Coarse
  
Fine
  
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
  
Matte
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
No
  
No
  
Self-Sowing
Yes
  
Yes
  
Attracts
Butterflies, Not Available
  
Bees, Butterflies, Moths
  
Allergy
Rash
  
Not Available
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
  
Beautification, Bouquets, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
  
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
  
Skin inflammation
  
Edible Uses
Yes
  
Yes
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification
  
Food for animals, Food for insects
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
  
Arthritis, Bladder Infection, Colic, Diarrhea, Gout, Inflammation, Kidney Stones, Rheumatism, Stomach pain, Urinary tract problems
  
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Rhizomes
  
Flowers
  
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Leaves used for wrapping zongi, Used to flavour noodles, Used to wrap mochi rice cakes
  
Can be made into a herbal tea, Food for animals, Used for its medicinal properties
  
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
  
Container, Cutflower, Edging, Foundation, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
  
Botanical Name
ALPINIA zerumbet
  
CALLUNA vulgaris
  
Common Name
Shell Ginger
  
Heather, Common heather, Ling
  
In Hindi
Shell Ginger
  
हीथ
  
In German
Shell Ginger
  
Heidekraut
  
In French
Shell Ginger
  
bruyère
  
In Spanish
Shell jengibre
  
brezo
  
In Greek
Shell Τζίντζερ
  
ερείκη
  
In Portuguese
Shell Ginger
  
urze
  
In Polish
Shell Imbir
  
wrzos
  
In Latin
Crusta Ginger
  
Heather
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
  
Magnoliophyta
  
Class
Lilopsida
  
Magnoliopsida
  
Order
Zingiberales
  
Ericales
  
Family
Zingiberaceae
  
Ericaceae
  
Genus
Alpinia
  
Calluna
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
  
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
  
Tribe
Alpinieae
  
Ericeae
  
Subfamily
Alpinioideae
  
Ericoideae
  
Number of Species
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Importance of Shell Ginger and Heather
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Shell Ginger and Heather. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Shell Ginger and Heather 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 Heather is Arthritis, Bladder Infection, Colic, Diarrhea, Gout, Inflammation, Kidney Stones, Rheumatism, Stomach pain and Urinary tract problems. Shell Ginger has beauty benefits as follows: Good for skin while Heather has beauty benefits as follows: Good for skin.
Compare Facts of Shell Ginger vs Heather
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 Heather 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 Heather have Not Available respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Shell Ginger has no showy fruits and Heather has no showy fruits. Also Shell Ginger is not flowering and Heather is not flowering . You can compare Shell Ginger and Heather facts and facts of other plants too.