Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southeastern United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
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
-480
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
subtropical regions, Tropical regions
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-11-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
-
Sunset Zone
-
-
Habit
Clump-Forming
-
Plant Size
Minimum Height
45.70 cm20.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm15.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
-
-
Leaf Color in Summer
-
-
Leaf Color in Fall
-
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Narrowly elliptic
Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
-
Growth Rate
Medium
-
Type of Soil
Sand
-
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
-
Soil Drainage
Well drained
-
Bloom Time
-
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers, Seedlings
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water
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
-
Soil Type
Sand
-
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
-
Sun Exposure
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
N-P-K balanced liquid fertilizer
Does not require fertilizer once established
Pests and Diseases
-
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
-
-
Foliage Sheen
-
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Butterflies
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders, Ground Cover
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cures poisoning from fish
-
Part of Plant Used
Bulbs
-
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Cutflower, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical, Wildflower
-
Botanical Name
BLETIA purpurea
CRYPTANTHUS
Common Name
Candelaria, Pinepink, Purple Bletia Orchid, Sharp-petaled Bletia Orchid
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
In Hindi
Candelaria
Earth Star
In German
Candelaria
Erdstern
In French
Candelaria
Terre étoile
In Spanish
Candelaria
estrella de la tierra
In Greek
Candelaria
γη αστεριών
In Portuguese
Candelaria
Estrela da terra
In Polish
Candelaria
Gwiazda ziemi
In Latin
Candelaria
terra, stella
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Orchidales
Bromeliales
Family
Orchidaceae
Bromeliaceae
Genus
Bletia
Cryptanthus
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Arethuseae
-
Subfamily
Epidendroideae
Bromelioideae
Number of Species
-50
1
27800
👆🏻