Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Herbs
Origin
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Europe, Asia
Types
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
Thodopuza, Red streaked, Alleppey
Number of Varieties
48030
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
Loamy soils, Tropical Forests, Tropical regions, Well Drained
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99997-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
9-1
Sunset Zone
-
8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
-
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.00 cm50.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.00 cm100.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Green, Light Green, Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Tan, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Long Elliptic
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
-
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
-
Medium
Type of Soil
-
Loam
The pH of Soil
-
Neutral
Soil Drainage
-
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Mid Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Humidity
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
From Rhizomes, Root Division
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do not water excessively, Keep the Soil well drained
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
-
Neutral
Soil Type
-
Loam
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
Cut back old stems to the ground, Prune after harvesting, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Does not require fertilizer once established
Compost, Fertilize the soil before planting, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Aphids, Leaf Hoppers, Mites, Scale, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Variety of soil types
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Shallow soil
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
-
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
Aphids, Caterpillar, Mites, Rabbits, Snails
Allergy
-
Abdominal distension, Blurred vision, Oral Allergy
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, Anti-ageing, Blackheads, Blood purifying, Making cosmetics, Natural Sunscreen, Remove blemishes, Skin inflammation
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Fixes Nitrogen, Prevent weeds, Provides ground cover
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Abdominal Disease, Acne, Alzheimer’s Disease, Antibacterial, antimicrobial, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Atherosclerosis, Brain disease, Carminative, Cold, Diarrhea, Digestion problems, Eczema, Liver problems, Menstrual Cramps, Treat Parasitic Intestinal Worms, Treatment of ulcers, Urinary tract problems
Part of Plant Used
-
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
Cosmetics, Culinary use, Used as an ointment, Used as colouring in foods, Used as insect repellent
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
-
Alpine, Cutflower, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
CRYPTANTHUS
Curcuma longa
Common Name
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
Turmeric, Curcuma
In Hindi
Earth Star
हल्दी
In German
Erdstern
Kurkuma
In French
Terre étoile
curcuma
In Spanish
estrella de la tierra
Curcuma longa
In Greek
γη αστεριών
κουρκούμη
In Portuguese
Estrela da terra
curcuma
In Polish
Gwiazda ziemi
kurkuma
In Latin
terra, stella
turmeric
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Bromeliales
Zingiberales
Family
Bromeliaceae
Zingiberaceae
Genus
Cryptanthus
Curcuma
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Zingibereae
Subfamily
Bromelioideae
Zingiberoideae
Number of Species
50100
1
27800
👆🏻