Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Fruit, Shrub
Origin
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
South America
Types
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
V. × heilbornii
Number of Varieties
4800
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99999-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
11-9
Sunset Zone
-
H1, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
-
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.00 cm150.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Palmate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
-
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
-
Fast
Type of Soil
-
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
-
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
-
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do not water excessively, Keep the Soil well drained
Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
-
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
-
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
-
Well drained
Sun Exposure
-
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness, Pinching, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove shoots
Fertilizers
Does not require fertilizer once established
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Variety of soil types
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Foliage Sheen
-
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Digestive disorders
Part of Plant Used
-
Fruits
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
Used in making champagne
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
-
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
CRYPTANTHUS
VASCONCELLEA x heilbornii
Common Name
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
Babaco, Mountain Papaya
In Hindi
Earth Star
Babaco
In German
Erdstern
Babaco
In French
Terre étoile
Babaco
In Spanish
estrella de la tierra
Babaco
In Greek
γη αστεριών
Babaco
In Portuguese
Estrela da terra
Babaco
In Polish
Gwiazda ziemi
Babaco
In Latin
terra, stella
Babaco
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Bromeliales
Brassicales
Family
Bromeliaceae
Caricaceae
Genus
Cryptanthus
Vasconcellea
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Bromelioideae
-
Number of Species
501
1
27800
👆🏻