Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Vegetable, Vines
Origin
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
North America, Mexico, Central America
Types
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
Winter squash, Field pumpkin, Crookneck pumpkin
Number of Varieties
4808
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
close to waterfalls, Riverbanks, Warmer regions, waterways, Wet ground
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99991-6
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-1
Sunset Zone
-
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 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
-
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.00 cm91.44 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.00 cm609.60 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Orange Red, Yellow Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Early Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
-
Full Sun
Growth Rate
-
Very Fast
Type of Soil
-
Well drained
The pH of Soil
-
Neutral
Soil Drainage
-
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Summer
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 the ground moist but not water-logged, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
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
Pruning
Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness, Pinching, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
prune leaves so as to circulate fresh air, Remove Vines
Fertilizers
Does not require fertilizer once established
Apply 5-10-5 amounts, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Gray leaf blight, Scab
Plant Tolerance
Variety of soil types
Salt and Soil Compaction
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
-
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
-
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
Beetles, Bugs
Allergy
-
Asthma, breathing problems, Itchiness, Swelling in the face
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin and hair, Skin cleanser, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Anemia, Antibacterial, anti-cancer, cholesterol-lowering, High blood pressure, Immunity, Prevention of convulsion, Regulates Blood Sugar
Part of Plant Used
-
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in salads
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
-
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
CRYPTANTHUS
CUCURBITA moschata 'Long Island Cheese'
Common Name
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
Long Island Cheese Pumpkin, Winter Pumpkin
In Hindi
Earth Star
चीनी कद्दू
In German
Erdstern
chinesisch Kürbis
In French
Terre étoile
potiron chinois
In Spanish
estrella de la tierra
calabaza china
In Greek
γη αστεριών
κινέζικο κολοκύθα
In Portuguese
Estrela da terra
abóbora chinês
In Polish
Gwiazda ziemi
Chiński dyni
In Latin
terra, stella
Chinese cucurbita
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Bromeliales
Violales
Family
Bromeliaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Cryptanthus
Cucurbita
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Cucurbiteae
Subfamily
Bromelioideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
509
1
27800
👆🏻