Life Span
Perennial
Annual or Biennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Europe, Northern Africa, Asia
Types
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
Pascal, Golden Self-Blanching, Tall Utah, Tango
Number of Varieties
480100
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
Coastal Regions, Marshy ground, Wet ground
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
9-3
Sunset Zone
-
-
Habit
-
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.00 cm45.70 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Tan, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
-
Full Sun
Growth Rate
-
Fast
Type of Soil
-
Loam
The pH of Soil
-
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
-
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Late Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do not water excessively, Keep the Soil well drained
Keep ground moist, 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
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, Remove shoots
Fertilizers
Does not require fertilizer once established
Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Bacteria, Downy mildew, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Mosaic viruses, Pink Root, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Variety of soil types
Frost
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
-
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
-
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
Insects, Mice, Rodents, Spider Mites
Allergy
-
Irritation to stomach
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin, Improve skin condition, Moisturizing, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, Food for insects
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Cancer, Combats Stress, Eye Problems, High blood pressure, High cholestrol, Indigestion, Inflammation, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
-
Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
Employed in herbal medicine, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties, Used as a spice
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
-
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
CRYPTANTHUS
APIUM graveolens
Common Name
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
Celery
In Hindi
Earth Star
अजवायन
In German
Erdstern
Sellerie
In French
Terre étoile
Céleri
In Spanish
estrella de la tierra
Apio
In Greek
γη αστεριών
Σέλινο
In Portuguese
Estrela da terra
Aipo
In Polish
Gwiazda ziemi
Seler
In Latin
terra, stella
apium
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Bromeliales
Apiales
Family
Bromeliaceae
Apiaceae
Genus
Cryptanthus
Apium
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Apieae
Subfamily
Bromelioideae
Apioideae
Number of Species
501
1
27800
👆🏻