Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tree
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
India, Nepal, China, Japan, Korea
Types
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Cornus controversa
Number of Varieties
201
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical regions
Woodland Garden Canopy
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-155-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
8-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm1,070.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Light Pink
White, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Burgundy, Dark Blue, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Light Yellow, Burgundy, Dark Red
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Grafting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
Requires regular watering during dry weather
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
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
-
Fertilizers
Apply 8-4-6 amount
No fertilizers needed
Pests and Diseases
-
Bacterial leaf spot, Canker, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Birds
Allergy
Rash
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Used in parkland
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Antiphlogistic
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Rhizomes
Fruits, Leaves
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 used in the lubricating and soap industry
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Shade Trees, Street Trees
Botanical Name
ALPINIA zerumbet
CORNUS controversa
Common Name
Shell Ginger
Giant Dogwood, Wedding Cake Tree
In Hindi
Shell Ginger
Wedding Cake Tree
In German
Shell Ginger
Hochzeitstorte Baum
In French
Shell Ginger
Gâteau de mariage Arbre
In Spanish
Shell jengibre
Pastel de bodas del árbol
In Greek
Shell Τζίντζερ
Γαμήλια τούρτα Δέντρο
In Portuguese
Shell Ginger
Árvore do bolo de casamento
In Polish
Shell Imbir
Wedding Cake Drzewo
In Latin
Crusta Ginger
MUSTACEUM ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Lilopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Cornales
Family
Zingiberaceae
Cornaceae
Genus
Alpinia
Cornus
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Alpinieae
-
Subfamily
Alpinioideae
Cornoideae
Number of Species
1503
1
27800
👆🏻