Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Perennial
Origin
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Southern Europe, Mediterranean
Types
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
-
Number of Varieties
480220
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
Maritime Rocks, Stone and Masonry fences and walls
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99995-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
9-3
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, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
-
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.00 cm20.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.00 cm40.60 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Long linear and narrow
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
-
Full Sun
Growth Rate
-
Fast
Type of Soil
-
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
-
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
-
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do not water excessively, Keep the Soil well drained
Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
-
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
Prune in flowering season, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Does not require fertilizer once established
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Caterpillars, Slugs, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Variety of soil types
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
-
Fine
Foliage Sheen
-
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
Butterflies
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Ground Cover, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Agroforestry
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Asthma, Bronchitis, Diarrhea
Part of Plant Used
-
Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
Used as Ornamental plant, Used in herbal medicines
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
-
Alpine, Edging, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
CRYPTANTHUS
IBERIS sempervirens
Common Name
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
Candytuft
In Hindi
Earth Star
Candytuft
In German
Erdstern
Schleifenblume
In French
Terre étoile
candytuft
In Spanish
estrella de la tierra
candytuft
In Greek
γη αστεριών
candytuft
In Portuguese
Estrela da terra
ibero
In Polish
Gwiazda ziemi
candytuft
In Latin
terra, stella
Coleus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Bromeliales
Brassicales
Family
Bromeliaceae
Brassicaceae
Genus
Cryptanthus
Iberis
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Bromelioideae
-
Number of Species
5050
1
27800
👆🏻