How to Take Care of a Variegated Shell Ginger Houseplant

Native to India and part of the ginger (Zingiberaceae) family, variegated shell ginger is a large plant with leaves reaching 2 feet in length and 6 inches across. Its leaves are variegated with irregular patterns of green and yellow and its flowers are born on stalks and resemble tiny white seashells tinged with pink. The flowers are not scented but the leaves are fragrant when crushed. Variegated shell ginger rarely flowers outdoors because of frost damage, but plants kept indoors have a good chance of blooming in the spring.

Instructions

- 1
  Plant your variegated shell ginger, or shellplant, in a well-drained, rich soil mixture. The University of Oklahoma's Department of Botany and Microbiology recommends a mixture of 2 parts peat moss to 2 parts loam to 1 part sand or perlite. To that mixture it adds a 14-14-14 slow-release fertilizer at a rate of 1 cup to 7 dry quarts of soil.
- 2
  Place the container in a spot that gets full sun for at least half of the day or bright, diffused light for all of the day. Don't allow winter temperatures to drop below 55 degrees F or the plant may not flower.
- 3
  Water when the top 2 inches of soil are dry to keep the plant moist but not soaking. During the winter dormant season let half of the soil dry out between waterings, but don't let the plant dry out entirely.
- 4
  Fertilize weekly during the spring and summer growing season with a balanced houseplant fertilizer. Taper off in the fall and do not fertilize during the winter.
- 5
  Prune dead or damaged leaves after flowers are spent.

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