Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tender Perennial
Origin
Eastern Africa
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Types
-
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
Number of Varieties
15480
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Rocky Ridges, Shores of rivers or lakes, Tropical Climate, tropical environments
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
USDA Hardiness Zone
11-12-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
7-1
-
Sunset Zone
H1, 23, 24
-
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
-
Plant Size
Minimum Height
25.40 cm20.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm15.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
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
Ovate
Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
-
Growth Rate
Slow
-
Type of Soil
Loam
-
The pH of Soil
Neutral
-
Soil Drainage
Average
-
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, stem tip cuttings
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Keep the Soil well drained, Medium, Requires regular watering
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
-
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
-
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
-
Pruning
Pinch Tips, Prune prior to new growth, Prune to stimulate growth
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
Does not require fertilizer once established
Pests and Diseases
Grey mold, Leaf spot, Mites, Root rot
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
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
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Flying insects, Hummingbirds
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
Allergy
Pollen
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bouquets, Cut Flowers, Decorating walls, Hanging Basket, Showy Purposes, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
-
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for bedding in gardens
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edging, Houseplant, Tropical
-
Botanical Name
EXACUM affine
CRYPTANTHUS
Common Name
German Violet, Persian Violet
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
In Hindi
persian violet
Earth Star
In German
persian violet
Erdstern
In French
persian violet
Terre étoile
In Spanish
Violeta persa
estrella de la tierra
In Greek
Περσικό Violet
γη αστεριών
In Portuguese
Violeta persa
Estrela da terra
In Polish
Persian Violet
Gwiazda ziemi
In Latin
hyacinthum Persarum
terra, stella
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Bromeliales
Family
Gentianaceae
Bromeliaceae
Genus
Exacum
Cryptanthus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Exaceae
-
Subfamily
-
Bromelioideae
Number of Species
2550
1
27800
👆🏻