Cryptanthus Bromeliad Plant Species

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Blooming, Care and Culture, Classification

Cryptanthus (cript-anth’us) – Belonging to the Bromelioideae subfamily; twenty-six species belong to this genus and are commonly called ‘earth stars’ because of the flattish form and symmetry of their leaves.

They are terrestrials and grow under a wide range of conditions; from full sun to total shade, dry to wet, and in open landscape or on forest floors. They are small plants ranging from about 5-45 cm in diameter and almost all grow as low, spreading, stem-less rosettes. Cryptanthus come in various colors, rose, silver, green, brown, white, copper or combinations of these. All have white flowers deep in the heart of the plant. Offsets are produced by stolons or from the edge of the rosette. They are easy to grow and flourish well in cultivation. Because of their size, some are used regularly in floral arrangements. A must for any collector!