Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Perennial
Origin
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Southeastern United States, South-Central United States
Types
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
Apricot Queen, August Flame, Autumn Fire
Number of Varieties
4808
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
Fields, marshes, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99996-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
-
Sunset Zone
-
H1, H2, 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 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Orange, Dark Red, Orange Red, Copper, Chocolate, Black
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
-
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
-
Medium
Type of Soil
-
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
-
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
-
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
-
Spring, Late Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
From Rhizomes, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do not water excessively, Keep the Soil well drained
Do not let dry out between waterings, Needs Very high moisture
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
-
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
-
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
-
Poorly 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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Does not require fertilizer once established
organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Mosaic potyvirus
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
-
Medium
Foliage Sheen
-
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
Poisonous to grazing animals
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
Bog Garden, Water gardening
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Sedative
Part of Plant Used
-
Flowers
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
Oil is used for aromatherapy
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
-
Bog Garden, Water Gardens, Wildflower
Botanical Name
CRYPTANTHUS
IRIS fulva
Common Name
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
Copper iris
In Hindi
Earth Star
Copper Iris
In German
Erdstern
Copper Iris
In French
Terre étoile
Copper Iris
In Spanish
estrella de la tierra
Cobre Iris
In Greek
γη αστεριών
χαλκός Iris
In Portuguese
Estrela da terra
Copper Iris
In Polish
Gwiazda ziemi
Miedź Iris
In Latin
terra, stella
Iris Copper
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Bromeliales
Liliales
Family
Bromeliaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Cryptanthus
Iris
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Irideae
Subfamily
Bromelioideae
Iridoideae
Number of Species
50250
1
27800
👆🏻