Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Grass
Origin
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
-
Types
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
Karl Feather Reed Grass
Avalanche
Eldorado
Overdam
Number of Varieties
4803
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
Forest margins, gardens, Grassland, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99995-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
9 - 5
Sunset Zone
-
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
-
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Light brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Gold, Tan
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Long linear and narrow
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
-
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
-
Fast
Type of Soil
-
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
-
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
-
Average
Bloom Time
-
Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site, Pollution, Salt, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Spores
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do not water excessively, Keep the Soil well drained
Average Water Needs
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
-
Average
Sun Exposure
-
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness, Pinching, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, 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
Pests and diseases free
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
-
Fine
Foliage Sheen
-
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
Birds
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
-
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
-
Dried Flower / Everlasting, Cutflower, Foundation, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Botanical Name
CRYPTANTHUS
CALAMAGROSTIS x acutiflora
Common Name
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
Feather Reed Grass
In Hindi
Earth Star
पंख ईख घास
In German
Erdstern
Feather Reed Grass
In French
Terre étoile
Feather Reed Herbe
In Spanish
estrella de la tierra
Pluma Reed Hierba
In Greek
γη αστεριών
Αστραπή Reed Χόρτο
In Portuguese
Estrela da terra
Pena Reed grama
In Polish
Gwiazda ziemi
Pióro Reed trawy
In Latin
terra, stella
Pluma Grass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
-
Class
Liliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Bromeliales
Poales
Family
Bromeliaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Cryptanthus
Calamagrostis
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Aveneae
Subfamily
Bromelioideae
Pooideae
Number of Species
50260
1
27800
👆🏻