Varigated shell ginger

🌿 Basic Overview

• Scientific name: Alpinia zerumbet ‘Variegata’

• Common names: Variegated Shell Ginger, Variegated Ginger

• Family: Zingiberaceae

• Origin: Southeast Asia

• Type: Perennial tropical plant

🌱 Appearance

• Long, lance-shaped leaves with green centers and creamy-yellow stripes along the edges.

• Can grow 3–8 feet tall indoors or in tropical gardens.

• Produces white to pinkish shell-like flowers, though foliage is the main attraction.

☀️ Light

• Prefers bright, indirect light to maintain leaf variegation.

• Can tolerate partial shade but may lose some of the striping in low light.

• Avoid prolonged direct sunlight, which can scorch the leaves.

💧 Water

• Keep soil consistently moist but well-draining.

• Does not tolerate waterlogged conditions.

• Can tolerate occasional drought but growth slows.

🌡️ Temperature & Humidity

• Ideal range: 65–85°F (18–29°C).

• Prefers high humidity, typical of tropical conditions.

• Not frost-tolerant — protect from cold temperatures.

🌸 Growth & Care

• Moderate care — fast-growing in suitable conditions.

• Benefits from pruning to control height and maintain appearance.

• Can be propagated from rhizome divisions.

• Often used in containers, landscapes, or as an indoor ornamental plant.