Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Perennial
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Southwestern United States, Texas, Canada, Mexico
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Types
Ratibida columnifera
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
Number of Varieties
25480
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, Prairies, Rocky areas, rocky outcrops
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-10-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-1
-
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
-
Habit
Upright/Erect
-
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm20.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm15.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Purple, Burgundy, Light Green, Brown
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Gray Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green, Gray Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Green, Gray Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Subulate
Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
-
Growth Rate
Fast
-
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
-
The pH of Soil
Neutral
-
Soil Drainage
Well drained
-
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Water in morning to avoid prompting diseases
Average Water Needs, Do not water excessively, Keep the Soil well drained
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
-
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
-
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
-
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
-
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness, Pinching, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
Does not require fertilizer once established
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Full Sun
Variety of soil types
Flowers
Showy
Showy
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
Fine
-
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
Allergy
Rhinitis
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Analgesic
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
-
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Used in making tea
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Wildflower
-
Botanical Name
RATIBIDA columnifera
CRYPTANTHUS
Common Name
Mexican Hat
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
In Hindi
Mexican Hat
Earth Star
In German
Mexican Hat
Erdstern
In French
Mexican Hat
Terre étoile
In Spanish
mexican Hat
estrella de la tierra
In Greek
Mexican Hat
γη αστεριών
In Portuguese
Mexican Hat
Estrela da terra
In Polish
Mexican Hat
Gwiazda ziemi
In Latin
Mexicanus Hat
terra, stella
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Asterales
Bromeliales
Family
Asteraceae
Bromeliaceae
Genus
Ratibida
Cryptanthus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Bromelioideae
Number of Species
1450
1
27800
👆🏻