Life Span
Perennial
  
Perennial
  
Type
Grass
  
Tender Perennial
  
Origin
Asia, Europe, North Africa
  
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
  
Types
purple moor-grass 'Moorhexe', variegated purple moor-grass
  
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
  
Number of Varieties
Not Available
  
Habitat
Boggy areas, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Lowland
  
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-8
  
Not Available
  
AHS Heat Zone
9 - 1
  
Not Available
  
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17
  
Not Available
  
Habit
Clump-Forming
  
Not Available
  
Plant Size
  
  
Minimum Height
Not Available
  
Minimum Width
Not Available
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
Dark Purple
  
Not Available
  
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
Non Fruiting Plant
  
Not Available
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
  
Not Available
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
  
Not Available
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Yellow green, Gold
  
Not Available
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Tan
  
Light Green
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Needle like
  
Linear
  
Thorns
No
  
Not Available
  
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Not Available
  
Growth Rate
Medium
  
Not Available
  
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
Not Available
  
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
  
Not Available
  
Soil Drainage
Average
  
Not Available
  
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
  
Not Available
  
Repeat Bloomer
No
  
Not Available
  
Tolerances
Not Available
  
Drought
  
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
  
Container, Ground, Pot
  
How to Plant?
Divison, Transplanting, Vegetative Reproduction
  
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
  
Plant Maintenance
Low
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering, Water more frequently during periods of extreme drought
  
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
  
Not Available
  
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
Not Available
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
  
Not Available
  
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Not Available
  
Pruning
Prune in winter, 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
No need to fertilize every year
  
Does not require fertilizer once established
  
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free
  
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
  
Plant Tolerance
Not Available
  
Variety of soil types
  
Flowers
Showy
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
Yes
  
Not Available
  
Edible Fruit
No
  
Not Available
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
No
  
Not Available
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
Not Available
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
Not Available
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
Not Available
  
Showy Foliage
Yes
  
Not Available
  
Showy Bark
No
  
Not Available
  
Foliage Texture
Fine
  
Not Available
  
Foliage Sheen
Matte
  
Not Available
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
Sometimes
  
No
  
Self-Sowing
Yes
  
Not Available
  
Attracts
Not Available
  
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
  
Allergy
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes, Water gardening
  
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
  
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
No
  
No
  
Environmental Uses
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed
  
Air purification
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
No Medicinal Use
  
Not Available
  
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
  
Not Available
  
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
  
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
  
Used As Indoor Plant
No
  
Yes
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Container, Foundation, Mixed Border
  
Not Available
  
Botanical Name
Molinia caerulea
  
CRYPTANTHUS
  
Common Name
purple moor-grass
  
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
  
In Hindi
बैंगनी दलदल घास
  
Earth Star
  
In German
Pfeifengras
  
Erdstern
  
In French
pourpre lande-grass
  
Terre étoile
  
In Spanish
púrpura amarra-hierba
  
estrella de la tierra
  
In Greek
μωβ Moor-γρασίδι
  
γη αστεριών
  
In Portuguese
purple moor-grass
  
Estrela da terra
  
In Polish
fioletowy Moor-trawa
  
Gwiazda ziemi
  
In Latin
Maurus herba-purpura,
  
terra, stella
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
  
Tracheophyta
  
Class
Liliopsida
  
Liliopsida
  
Order
Cyperales
  
Bromeliales
  
Family
Poaceae
  
Bromeliaceae
  
Genus
Molinia
  
Cryptanthus
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
  
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
  
Tribe
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Subfamily
Not Available
  
Bromelioideae
  
Number of Species
Not Available