Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Perennial
Origin
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
World, Pandemic, North America, Europe, Africa, Asia
Types
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
-
Number of Varieties
48030
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
Bluffs, Sandy stream banks, Wooded slopes
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99994-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
10-1
Sunset Zone
-
2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6
Habit
-
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.00 cm10.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.00 cm15.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
White, Purple, Lavender, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
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, Summer
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
-
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
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
Medium, 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
-
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
-
Clay, Loam, Sand
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Does not require fertilizer once established
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Red blotch
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
Bees, Insects
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
Beautification, Ground Cover, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Liver problems, Skin Disorders, Treatment of ulcers
Part of Plant Used
-
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
Employed in herbal medicine, Used as a spice
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
-
Bedding Plant, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
CRYPTANTHUS
IRIS cristata
Common Name
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
Crested Iris
In Hindi
Earth Star
कलगी आइरिस
In German
Erdstern
Crested Iris
In French
Terre étoile
Crested Iris
In Spanish
estrella de la tierra
Crested Iris
In Greek
γη αστεριών
Crested Iris
In Portuguese
Estrela da terra
Crested Iris
In Polish
Gwiazda ziemi
Czubaty Iris
In Latin
terra, stella
iubatum Iris
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
-
Class
Liliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Bromeliales
Asparagales
Family
Bromeliaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Cryptanthus
Iris
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Irideae
Subfamily
Bromelioideae
Iridoideae
Number of Species
50210
1
27800
👆🏻