Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Tender Perennial
Origin
California
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Types
Heteromeles arbutifolia
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
Number of Varieties
3480
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Foot Hills, low mountains, Woodlands
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-10-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
-
Sunset Zone
21,22
-
Habit
Oval or Rounded
-
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm20.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm15.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Orange Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic
Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
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
Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Does not require water in summer, Requires watering in the growing season
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
-
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, Solid Fertilizers
Does not require fertilizer once established
Pests and Diseases
Bacterial Diseases, Root Pathogen
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Variety of soil types
Flowers
Showy
Showy
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
Medium
-
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
Allergy
Acidic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Body Ache, Stomach pain
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
-
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Sauces
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier
-
Botanical Name
HETEROMELES arbutifolia
CRYPTANTHUS
Common Name
Christmas Berry, California Holly
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
In Hindi
Toyon
Earth Star
In German
Toyon
Erdstern
In French
Toyon
Terre étoile
In Spanish
Toyon
estrella de la tierra
In Greek
Toyon
γη αστεριών
In Portuguese
Toyon
Estrela da terra
In Polish
Toyon
Gwiazda ziemi
In Latin
Toyon
terra, stella
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Rosales
Bromeliales
Family
Rosaceae
Bromeliaceae
Genus
Heteromeles
Cryptanthus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Maleae
-
Subfamily
Amygdaloideae
Bromelioideae
Number of Species
650
1
27800
👆🏻