Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tender Perennial
Origin
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Brazil
Types
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
Yellow Bloodleaf, Herbst's Bloodleaf, Standley's Bloodleaf
Number of Varieties
48070
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
tropical environments
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999911-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-1
Sunset Zone
-
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
-
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.00 cm15.24 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.00 cm20.32 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
-
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
-
Fast
Type of Soil
-
Loam
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?
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Softwood cuttings, Stem Cutting, Tip cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do not water excessively, Keep the Soil well drained
Medium
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
-
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
-
Well drained
Sun Exposure
-
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness, Pinching, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove branches that rub together, Remove crossing or rubbing branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
Does not require fertilizer once established
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Balanced liquid fertilizer every 4 weeks
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Variety of soil types
Drought
Flowers
Showy
-
Flower Petal Number
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
Insects, Wildlife
Allergy
-
Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Indoor Air Purification, Provides ground cover
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
-
Leaves
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
-
Bedding Plant, Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
CRYPTANTHUS
IRESINE herbstii
Common Name
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
Bloodleaf, Herbst's bloodleaf
In Hindi
Earth Star
Bloodleaf Plant
In German
Erdstern
Bloodleaf Pflanze
In French
Terre étoile
Feuillesang Plante
In Spanish
estrella de la tierra
Planta Sangrienta
In Greek
γη αστεριών
Bloodleaf φυτών
In Portuguese
Estrela da terra
Bloodleaf Planta
In Polish
Gwiazda ziemi
Bloodleaf roślin
In Latin
terra, stella
Planta Bloodleaf
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Bromeliales
Caryophyllales
Family
Bromeliaceae
Amaranthaceae
Genus
Cryptanthus
Iresine
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Gomphreneae
Subfamily
Bromelioideae
Gomphrenoideae
Number of Species
5070
1
27800
👆🏻