Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Perennial
Origin
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
North America, United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Canada
Types
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
-
Number of Varieties
4802
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
gardens, Hardwood forests
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99995-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
7-5
Sunset Zone
-
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Habit
-
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.00 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.00 cm12.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Light Green
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Butterfly shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
-
Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
-
Slow
Type of Soil
-
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
-
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
-
Average
Bloom Time
-
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Divison, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do not water excessively, Keep the Soil well drained
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
-
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
-
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
-
Average
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
Remove deadheads, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
Does not require fertilizer once established
No fertilizers needed
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Variety of soil types
Drought
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
-
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
Bees, Butterflies
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Cancer, Diuretic
Part of Plant Used
-
Flowers, Root
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
-
Feature Plant, Groundcover
Botanical Name
CRYPTANTHUS
JEFFERSONIA diphylla
Common Name
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
-
In Hindi
Earth Star
Twinleaf
In German
Erdstern
Twinleaf
In French
Terre étoile
Twinleaf
In Spanish
estrella de la tierra
Twinleaf
In Greek
γη αστεριών
Twinleaf
In Portuguese
Estrela da terra
Twinleaf
In Polish
Gwiazda ziemi
Twinleaf
In Latin
terra, stella
Twinleaf
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Bromeliales
Ranunculales
Family
Bromeliaceae
Berberidaceae
Genus
Cryptanthus
Jeffersonia
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Bromelioideae
-
Number of Species
502
1
27800
👆🏻