Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tender Perennial
Herbs
Origin
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Europe
Types
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
-
Number of Varieties
48015
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
Pastures, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
-
Sunset Zone
-
A2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
-
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.00 cm45.70 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Blue
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
-
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
-
Very Fast
Type of Soil
-
Loam
The pH of Soil
-
Neutral
Soil Drainage
-
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do not water excessively, Keep the Soil well drained
Keep ground moist
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
-
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
Prune regularly, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Does not require fertilizer once established
fertilize in growing season
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Japanese Beetles
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
-
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
Bees
Allergy
-
belching, bloating, Diarrhea, Digestive Problems, gas, gastro-intestinal problems, Headache, Nausea
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
-
Demulcent, Diuretic, Emollient, Fever, Kidney problems, Pulmonary afflictions
Part of Plant Used
-
Flowers, Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
-
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
CRYPTANTHUS
BORAGO officinalis
Common Name
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
Borage, starflower
In Hindi
Earth Star
Borage
In German
Erdstern
Borretsch
In French
Terre étoile
Bourrache
In Spanish
estrella de la tierra
borraja
In Greek
γη αστεριών
Borage
In Portuguese
Estrela da terra
Borragem
In Polish
Gwiazda ziemi
Ogórecznik
In Latin
terra, stella
borage
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Bromeliales
Lamiales
Family
Bromeliaceae
Boraginaceae
Genus
Cryptanthus
Borago
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Bromelioideae
-
Number of Species
50150
1
27800
👆🏻