Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tender Perennial
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
-
Types
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Alocasia macrorhizzos, Alocasia odora
Number of Varieties
20-
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical regions
Pastures, Wet forest
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1510-12
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
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Light Pink
White
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
-
Fruit Color
-
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Lime Green, Dark Green, Bronze
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Lime Green, Dark Green, Bronze
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Lime Green, Dark Green, Bronze
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Lime Green, Dark Green, Bronze
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
V-Shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
creeping rhizomes, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
Needs a lot of water initially
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Apply 8-4-6 amount
since leafy plants, use higher nitrogen content fertilizer, slow-release fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
-
Alternaria Leaf Spot, Leaf rust, Leaf spot, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Full Sun, Humidity, Soil Compaction
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Butterflies, pollinators, Snakes
Allergy
Rash
conjunctivitis, Itchy eyes, Sore Throat, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Glowing Skin, Hair Conditioner
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Absorbs huge amounts of CO2, soil stabilisation, Very little waste
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Aging, Digestion problems, Rheumatism
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Rhizomes
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
Application in Handicrafts, Florist trade and landscaping, Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
ALPINIA zerumbet
ALOCASIA x amazonica
Common Name
Shell Ginger
African Mask, Amazon Taro, Elephant Ear
In Hindi
Shell Ginger
Alocasia
In German
Shell Ginger
Alocasia
In French
Shell Ginger
Alocasia
In Spanish
Shell jengibre
Alocasia
In Greek
Shell Τζίντζερ
Alocasia
In Portuguese
Shell Ginger
Alocasia
In Polish
Shell Imbir
Alocasia
In Latin
Crusta Ginger
Alocasia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Lilopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Arales
Family
Zingiberaceae
Araceae
Genus
Alpinia
Alocasia
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Alpinieae
Colocasiodeae
Subfamily
Alpinioideae
Aroideae
Number of Species
150-
1
27800
👆🏻