Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tender Perennial
Bulb or Corm or Tuber
Origin
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Mediterranean, Turkey, Western Asia
Types
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
Mountain silverbell , Rosea
Number of Varieties
4803
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
Floodplains, low mountains, Lower slopes, secondary forest
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99995-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
9-5
Sunset Zone
-
21,22
Habit
-
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.00 cm25.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Several shades of Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Acuminate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
-
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
-
Fast
Type of Soil
-
-
The pH of Soil
-
-
Soil Drainage
-
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Spring, Late Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Layering, Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do not water excessively, Keep the Soil well drained
occasional watering once established
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
-
-
Soil Type
-
-
Soil Drainage Capacity
-
Well drained
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 grass to maintain level, 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 and Salt
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
-
Medium
Foliage Sheen
-
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
along a porch, deck or patio, Beautification, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes, Wild gardens
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
-
-
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
Decoration Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
-
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
CRYPTANTHUS
ORNITHOGALUM nutans
Common Name
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem, Nodding Star-of-Bethlehem, Silver Bells
In Hindi
Earth Star
Silver bells
In German
Erdstern
Silver bells
In French
Terre étoile
Silver bells
In Spanish
estrella de la tierra
Silver bells
In Greek
γη αστεριών
Silver bells
In Portuguese
Estrela da terra
Silver bells
In Polish
Gwiazda ziemi
Silver bells
In Latin
terra, stella
Silver bells
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Angiosperms
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Bromeliales
Ebenales
Family
Bromeliaceae
Asparagaceae
Genus
Cryptanthus
Halesia
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Bromelioideae
-
Number of Species
504
1
27800
👆🏻