Plant · GBIF taxon 5301979
Shell Ginger
Alpinia zerumbetAlso known as Pink Porcelain Lily, Light Yellow Ginger, Getto
Shell ginger features towering arched stalks adorned with lush green foliage that emits a spicy citrus aroma when crushed. Drooping racemes of waxy white buds, tipped in rose pink, open into bright yellow flowers marked with fiery red throats. Native to East Asian subtropical forests, this vigorous perennial forms dense clumps that flourish in warm, humid climates worldwide.
TropicalFloweringAromatic
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Data DeficientConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXData Deficient — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Sunlight
- Moist Soil
- Soil Nutrients
Predators
- Snails
- Slugs
- Spider Mites
ThreatsSevere Frost, Habitat Loss
HabitatsSubtropical Forests, Riverbanks, Cultivated Gardens
Life spanPerennial (10-20+ years)
Classification
- OrderZingiberales
- FamilyZingiberaceae
- GenusAlpinia
- SpeciesAlpinia zerumbet
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Crushing Foliage: Gently rub a mature leaf between fingers to release its distinctive sweet herbal fragrance.
- Winter Protection: Mulch rhizomes heavily or move container plants indoors before temperatures drop near freezing.
- Spotting Blooms: Look for pendulous flower clusters hanging beneath mature two year old stems during late spring.
Close Relative (c) Kristof Zyskowski, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Kristof Zyskowski · cc-by
Family Member tanakawho / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
Aromatic Relative (c) Skjold Søndergaard, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Jacy Chen, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jacy Chen · cc-by
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