Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tender Perennial
Vegetable
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'
Summer Squash, Winter Squash
Number of Varieties
4801
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
Cold Regions, Subtropical climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999-9999
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 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.00 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Yellow, Orange, Dark Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Orange, Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Lemon yellow
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Arrowhead
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
-
Full Sun
Growth Rate
-
Very Fast
Type of Soil
-
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
-
Neutral
Soil Drainage
-
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, 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 ground moist, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Ample Water
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
-
Neutral
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
-
Fertilizers
Does not require fertilizer once established
Compost
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Downy mildew, Fungal Diseases, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Variety of soil types
Drought
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
-
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
Insects
Allergy
-
Skin irritation, Skin rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for birds, Food for insects
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
anti-cancer, Bone strength, Fiber, Indigestion, Nutrients, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
-
Fruits
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
-
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
CRYPTANTHUS
CUCURBITA pepo 'Delicata'
Common Name
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
Peanut Squash, Squash
In Hindi
Earth Star
देलिकाता स्क्वाश
In German
Erdstern
Delicata Squash
In French
Terre étoile
Delicata Squash
In Spanish
estrella de la tierra
Delicata Squash
In Greek
γη αστεριών
Delicata Σκουός
In Portuguese
Estrela da terra
Delicata Squash
In Polish
Gwiazda ziemi
Delicata Squash
In Latin
terra, stella
delicata Cucurbitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Spermatophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Bromeliales
Cucurbitales
Family
Bromeliaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Cryptanthus
Cucurbita
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Bromelioideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
50100
1
27800
👆🏻