Scientific Name
Cryptanthus warasii E.Pereira
Common Name(s)
Earth Star
Scientific Classification
Family: Bromeliaceae
Subfamily: Bromelioideae
Genus: Cryptanthus
Description
Cryptanthus warasii is a rare terrestrial bromeliad that grows into a large spiraling rosette of thin, silvery gray, sharply recurved leaves with serrated margins. The small white flowers emerge in summer from the center of the rosette.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 9ba to 11b: from 25 °F (−3.9 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
These plants are widely available at nurseries and garden centers. They need a medium to bright light as indoor specimens.
Bromeliad care is easy and requires no special tools or fertilizers. Feed the plants with a half-strength fertilizer every month in the growing season.
Water needs are easily achieved by filling the cup at the base of the leaves. The water that collects in the pot should be emptied weekly to remove debris and the dead insects the stagnant water tends to lure into the cup.
Set the pot in a saucer of gravel filled partially with water to increase humidity and help provide a moist atmosphere. Make sure the roots are not submerged in the water, or this might invite rot.
Some Bromeliads grow well as Air Plants, which are glued or nested onto logs, moss, or other non-soil organic items. These plants collect all the food and moisture they need with their leaves but need a little help from you in the indoor setting.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Bromeliads.
Origin
This species is endemic to Brazil.
Links
- Back to genus Cryptanthus
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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