Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Flowering Plants, Herbs
Origin
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Southwestern United States, Mexico
Types
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
-
Number of Varieties
48056
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
Mountains, Upland
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99994-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
9-2
Sunset Zone
-
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Habit
-
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Red, Rose, Crimson
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
-
Full Sun
Growth Rate
-
Fast
Type of Soil
-
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
-
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
-
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Pollution, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
From bulbs
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do not water excessively, Keep the Soil well drained
Do Not over Water, Requires a lot of 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
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
Fertilizers
Does not require fertilizer once established
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Leaf spot, Root rot
Plant Tolerance
Variety of soil types
Drought
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
-
Medium
Foliage Sheen
-
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Broken Bones, Burns, Sore throat, Stomach aliments, Urine infections
Part of Plant Used
-
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
-
Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
CRYPTANTHUS
PENSTEMON barbatus
Common Name
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
Beardlip Penstemon, Scarlet Beardtongue
In Hindi
Earth Star
Beardlip Penstemon
In German
Erdstern
Beardlip Penstemon
In French
Terre étoile
penstemon beardlip
In Spanish
estrella de la tierra
penstemon beardlip
In Greek
γη αστεριών
beardlip penstemon
In Portuguese
Estrela da terra
penstemon beardlip
In Polish
Gwiazda ziemi
beardlip penstemon
In Latin
terra, stella
Birdlip penstemon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Bromeliales
Lamiales
Family
Bromeliaceae
Scrophulariaceae
Genus
Cryptanthus
Penstemon
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Dicotyledonous, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Bromelioideae
-
Number of Species
5040
1
27800
👆🏻