Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tender Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Green Tomatillo, Purple Tomatillo
Habitat
Tropical regions
Cultivated Beds
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-15
6-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Oval/Rounded
Flower Color
White, Red, Light Pink
Yellow, Sandy Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green, Purple, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Lance shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, 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
Remove all suckers, Remove wet foliage
Fertilizers
Apply 8-4-6 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
-
Fungal Diseases
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fragrant Bark/Stem
Yes
No
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Attracts
Butterflies
Birds, Flea beetles
Allergy
Rash
Arthritis, Inflammation
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Good for skin
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Cancer, Diabetes, Energy, Opthalmic
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Rhizomes
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
Used for making green salsas and chilli sauce, Used in salads
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
ALPINIA zerumbet
PHYSALIS philadelphica
Common Name
Shell Ginger
Green Tomato, Mexican Groundcherry, Tomatillo
In Hindi
Shell Ginger
Tomatillos
In German
Shell Ginger
Tomatillos
In French
Shell Ginger
Tomatilles
In Spanish
Shell jengibre
Tomatillos
In Greek
Shell Τζίντζερ
Tomatillos
In Portuguese
Shell Ginger
Tomatillos
In Polish
Shell Imbir
Tomatillos
In Latin
Crusta Ginger
Tomatillos
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Lilopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Solanales
Family
Zingiberaceae
Solanaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Alpinieae
Physaleae
Subfamily
Alpinioideae
Solanoideae
Importance of Shell Ginger and Tomatillo
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Shell Ginger and Tomatillo. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Shell Ginger and Tomatillo 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 Tomatillo is Cancer, Diabetes, Energy and Opthalmic. Shell Ginger has beauty benefits as follows: Good for skin while Tomatillo has beauty benefits as follows: Good for skin.
Compare Facts of Shell Ginger vs Tomatillo
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 Tomatillo 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 Tomatillo have Arthritis and Inflammation respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Shell Ginger has no showy fruits and Tomatillo has showy fruits. Also Shell Ginger is not flowering and Tomatillo is not flowering . You can compare Shell Ginger and Tomatillo facts and facts of other plants too.