Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Perennial
Tender Perennial
Origin
Europe
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Types
-
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
Number of Varieties
6480
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
dry rocky watercourses
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-9-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
-
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
-
Habit
Upright/Erect
-
Plant Size
Minimum Height
71.10 cm20.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm15.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Blue Violet, Lavender, Purple, White
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Sea Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Sea Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Sea Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lanceolate to elliptical
Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
-
Growth Rate
Medium
-
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
-
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
-
Soil Drainage
Well drained
-
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Rhizome division
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Average Water Needs, Do not water excessively, Keep the Soil well drained
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
-
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
-
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
-
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
-
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness, Pinching, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Does not require fertilizer once established
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Bacterial leaf spot, Billbugs, Borers, Fungal leaf spots
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Variety of soil types
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
Butterflies
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
Allergy
Gastric disturbances, Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Juice of fresh root used for treatment of dropsy
-
Part of Plant Used
Root
-
Other Uses
Making Perfumes, Used as a flavouring in food
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Cutflower, Feature Plant, Mixed Border
-
Botanical Name
Iris germanica
CRYPTANTHUS
Common Name
German Iris
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
In Hindi
German Iris
Earth Star
In German
German Iris
Erdstern
In French
German Iris
Terre étoile
In Spanish
German Iris
estrella de la tierra
In Greek
German Iris
γη αστεριών
In Portuguese
German Iris
Estrela da terra
In Polish
German Iris
Gwiazda ziemi
In Latin
German Iris
terra, stella
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Bromeliales
Family
Iridaceae
Bromeliaceae
Genus
Iris
Cryptanthus
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Irideae
-
Subfamily
Iridoideae
Bromelioideae
Number of Species
30050
1
27800
👆🏻