Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Shrubs, Spurge
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Caribbean, Central America, South America, Madagascar, South Africa
Types
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Jatropha bullockii, Jatropha cinerea, Jatropha excisa
Habitat
Tropical regions
Pastures, Roadsides, Warmer regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-15
-9999
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Flower Color
White, Red, Light Pink
White, Yellow, Red, Purple, Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
-
Fruit Color
-
Light Green, Lime Green, Yellow, Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Palmately Lobed
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
All year
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Bright direct sunlight, Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Dry, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Slightly Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
All year
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Requirements
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
Needs less watering, Water occasionally
In Summer
Lots of watering
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Less Watering
In Winter
Average Water
Less Watering
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Bright direct sunlight, Full Sun
Pruning
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune for shortening long shoots, Prune if you want to improve plant shape
Fertilizers
Apply 8-4-6 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No fertilizers needed
Pests and Diseases
-
Anthracnose, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Rust
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Drought and Salt, Heat Tolerance
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fragrant Bark/Stem
Yes
No
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Bold
Attracts
Butterflies
Bees, Flying insects, Hoverflies
Allergy
Rash
allergic conjunctivitis, Eye irritation
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Good for skin and hair, Removes pimples, Skin inflammation, Skin irritation
Edible Uses
Yes
Sometimes
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Insect Repellent, No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Suppresses or replaces native plants, Versatility
Medicinal Uses
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
anti-allergy, epilepsy, Fever, Skin irritation, Skin Redness
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Rhizomes
Leaves, Sap, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Leaves used for wrapping zongi, Used to flavour noodles, Used to wrap mochi rice cakes
Oil is used as fuel, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used in biomass
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Screening, Wind Break, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
ALPINIA zerumbet
JATROPHA
Common Name
Shell Ginger
Barbados nut, purging nut, physic nut, or JCL
In Hindi
Shell Ginger
रतनजोत
In German
Shell Ginger
Purgiernuß
In French
Shell Ginger
purghère
In Spanish
Shell jengibre
frailejón
In Greek
Shell Τζίντζερ
jatropha
In Portuguese
Shell Ginger
galamaluco
In Polish
Shell Imbir
jatrofa
In Latin
Crusta Ginger
Jatropha
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Lilopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Euphorbiales
Family
Zingiberaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Dicotyledonous
Tribe
Alpinieae
Jatropheae
Subfamily
Alpinioideae
Crotonoideae
Importance of Shell Ginger and Jatropha
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Shell Ginger and Jatropha. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Shell Ginger and Jatropha 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 Jatropha is anti-allergy, epilepsy, Fever, Skin irritation and Skin Redness. Shell Ginger has beauty benefits as follows: Good for skin while Jatropha has beauty benefits as follows: Good for skin.
Compare Facts of Shell Ginger vs Jatropha
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 Jatropha 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 Jatropha have allergic conjunctivitis and Eye irritation respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Shell Ginger has no showy fruits and Jatropha has showy fruits. Also Shell Ginger is not flowering and Jatropha is not flowering . You can compare Shell Ginger and Jatropha facts and facts of other plants too.