Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tender Perennial
Origin
-
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Types
Alternanthera reineckii
Alternanthera sessilis
Alternanthera philoxeroides
Alternanthera bettzickiana
Alternanthera caracasana
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
Number of Varieties
400480
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Grassland
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-11-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
-
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
-
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm20.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm15.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
-
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Red, Purple, Pink, Burgundy
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Red, Purple, Pink, Burgundy
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Purple, Pink, Burgundy
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Red, Purple, Pink, Burgundy
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Round
Linear
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, Alkaline
-
Soil Drainage
Well drained
-
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
-
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
Requires regular watering, Water Deeply
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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
-
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
-
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
-
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
-
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
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
Red blotch
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Variety of soil types
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Medium
-
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, Antioxidants
-
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
-
Other Uses
Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Hanging Basket, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
-
Botanical Name
ALTERNANTHERA 'Raspberry Rum'
CRYPTANTHUS
Common Name
Alternanthera
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
In Hindi
Gudrisag, Garundi
Earth Star
In German
Alternanthera
Erdstern
In French
Alternanthera
Terre étoile
In Spanish
Alternanthera
estrella de la tierra
In Greek
Alternanthera
γη αστεριών
In Portuguese
Alternanthera
Estrela da terra
In Polish
Alternanthera
Gwiazda ziemi
In Latin
Alternanthera
terra, stella
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Bromeliales
Family
Amaranthaceae
Bromeliaceae
Genus
Alternanthera
Cryptanthus
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Gomphrenoideae
Bromelioideae
Number of Species
2750
1
27800
👆🏻