Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tree
Origin
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Northeastern United States, North-Central United States
Types
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
Sugar Maple, Norway Maple, Red Maple
Number of Varieties
48015
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
bottomlands, Forests, Moist Soils
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99994-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
8-3
Sunset Zone
-
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
-
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.00 cm3,779.52 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.00 cm1,219.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Yellow green, Chartreuse
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Yellow, Red, Orange
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Toothed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
-
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
-
Medium
Type of Soil
-
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
-
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
-
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do not water excessively, Keep the Soil well drained
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, 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, Alkaline
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 damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
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
-
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
-
Medium
Foliage Sheen
-
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
Bees, Birds
Allergy
-
Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Tonic
Part of Plant Used
-
Sap, Tree trunks
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
Edible syrup, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
-
Shade Trees, Street Trees
Botanical Name
CRYPTANTHUS
ACER nigrum
Common Name
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
Black Maple
In Hindi
Earth Star
Black Maple Tree
In German
Erdstern
Schwarz Ahorn
In French
Terre étoile
Noir Érable
In Spanish
estrella de la tierra
Negro del árbol de arce
In Greek
γη αστεριών
Μαύρο Maple Tree
In Portuguese
Estrela da terra
Árvore de bordo preto
In Polish
Gwiazda ziemi
Czarny klon
In Latin
terra, stella
White Acer ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Bromeliales
Sapindales
Family
Bromeliaceae
Aceraceae
Genus
Cryptanthus
Acer
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Areceae
Subfamily
Bromelioideae
Hippocastanoideae
Number of Species
5010
1
27800
👆🏻