Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tree
Origin
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Types
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
-
Number of Varieties
4803
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99994-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
9-1
Sunset Zone
-
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
-
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
-
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
-
Fast
Type of Soil
-
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
-
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
-
Average
Bloom Time
-
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do not water excessively, Keep the Soil well drained
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
-
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
-
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
-
Average
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
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
Does not require fertilizer once established
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Plant Tolerance
Variety of soil types
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
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
-
Allergy
-
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Erosion control, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
-
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
-
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
CRYPTANTHUS
BETULA nigra
Common Name
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
River Birch
In Hindi
Earth Star
River Birch
In German
Erdstern
Fluss Birch
In French
Terre étoile
Birch river
In Spanish
estrella de la tierra
river Birch
In Greek
γη αστεριών
ποταμός Birch
In Portuguese
Estrela da terra
river Birch
In Polish
Gwiazda ziemi
Rzeka Birch
In Latin
terra, stella
Betula
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Bromeliales
Fagales
Family
Bromeliaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Cryptanthus
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Bromelioideae
-
Number of Species
503
1
27800
👆🏻