Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tender Perennial
Tender Perennial
Origin
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Southeastern Asia
Types
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Number of Varieties
480200
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999910-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-8
Sunset Zone
-
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
-
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
White, Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
-
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
V-Shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
-
Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
-
Fast
Type of Soil
-
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
-
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
-
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
From Rhizomes
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do not water excessively, Keep the Soil well drained
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
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
-
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
-
Well drained
Sun Exposure
-
Partial shade, Full Shade
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
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Variety of soil types
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
-
Bold
Foliage Sheen
-
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Allergy
-
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
-
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
-
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
CRYPTANTHUS
ALOCASIA micholitziana
Common Name
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
Elephant Ear, Taro
In Hindi
Earth Star
अरवी
In German
Erdstern
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
In French
Terre étoile
Colocasia
In Spanish
estrella de la tierra
Colocasia
In Greek
γη αστεριών
Colocasia
In Portuguese
Estrela da terra
Colocasia
In Polish
Gwiazda ziemi
Kolokazja
In Latin
terra, stella
Colocasia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Bromeliales
Arales
Family
Bromeliaceae
Araceae
Genus
Cryptanthus
Alocasia
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Colocasiodeae
Subfamily
Bromelioideae
Aroideae
Number of Species
5010
1
27800
👆🏻