Consulta Plantas

Care of the indoor plant Cryptanthus or Earth star

The genus Cryptanthus, family Bromeliaceae, includes 35 species of native bromeliads, the vast majority from Brazil. Some species are: Cryptanthus zonatus, Cryptanthus acaulis, Cryptanthus bromelioides, Cryptanthus beuckeri, Cryptanthus bivittatus.

Common name: Earth star.

They are small bromeliads that form basal rosettes with narrow, leathery, star-like leaves. The attractive leaves may have dark and light colored stripes (longitudinal or transverse). They can produce small white flowers that are of no ornamental interest.

Earth star is used as indoor plants in mini-gardens in bottles, in flat trays or combined with other bromeliads on a log.

Cryptanthus needs a very bright exposure without receiving direct sun rays and annual average temperatures of 15-25 ºC; in winter the average temperature should be 18-20 ºC (64-68 ºF).

The soil should be acidic: a light substrate with abundant leaf mulch and sphagnum peat moss.

Always water moderately, letting the soil almost dry out. If it is very hot, spray the leaves with lime-free water from time to time. If the leaves look limp it is due to lack of watering.

Cryptanthus does not need fertilization.

Earth star is a plant resistant to pests and diseases but fear excess water.

Cryptanthus propagates from the suckers that the plant produces by putting them to root as if they were cuttings (in spring).

Images of the indoor plant Cryptanthus or Earth star