Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Perennial
Tender Perennial
Origin
North America, United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Canada
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Types
-
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Number of Varieties
220
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Hardwood forests
Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-78-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
7-5
12-5
Sunset Zone
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
15.20 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
12.70 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
White, Red, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Multi-Color
Fruit Color
Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Blue Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Butterfly shaped
Lance shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Divison, Seedlings, Stem Planting
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Partial shade, Full Shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove deadheads, Requires very little pruning
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
No fertilizers needed
Apply 8-4-6 amount
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Butterflies
Butterflies
Allergy
-
Rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cancer, Diuretic
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Root
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
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Groundcover
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
JEFFERSONIA diphylla
ALPINIA zerumbet
Common Name
-
Shell Ginger
In Hindi
Twinleaf
Shell Ginger
In German
Twinleaf
Shell Ginger
In French
Twinleaf
Shell Ginger
In Spanish
Twinleaf
Shell jengibre
In Greek
Twinleaf
Shell Τζίντζερ
In Portuguese
Twinleaf
Shell Ginger
In Polish
Twinleaf
Shell Imbir
In Latin
Twinleaf
Crusta Ginger
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Lilopsida
Order
Ranunculales
Zingiberales
Family
Berberidaceae
Zingiberaceae
Genus
Jeffersonia
Alpinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Alpinieae
Subfamily
-
Alpinioideae
Number of Species
2150
1
27800
👆🏻