Family: Bromeliaceae
Common name: Crypanthus, Earth star, Pheasant plant, Star fish plant, Zebra plant
Earth star is a very popular ornamental plant loved by gardeners for their unique foliage that has zebra-like markings. They are native to Brazil, but are now seen in tropical and temperate countries, sometimes grown in glasshouses to overcome harsh winters.
Plant Characteristics
Earth star plants grow in beautiful rosette shapes, the leaves growing directly from the roots, reaching a height of 40-50 cm. Stem is almost non-existent, not visible above the ground. Roots of the Earth Star plant are shallow and fibrous, not penetrating very deep into the soil.
Leaves are the most attractive feature of the plant, thick, leathery, and glossy with banded, zebra-like markings on them.
These leaves range in color from green, pink, orange, maroon, purple, and a variety of hues in between, all of them with white, silver, or darker-colored bands all over. Hence they are also called Zebra plants.
Earth Star leaves are 15-20 cm long with slightly wavy margins, and pointy or rounded tips depending on the plants. Earth star plants produce small white-colored flowers with three waxy petals and prominent stamens.
These flowers are very inconspicuous compared to the bright and colorful leaves, since they are small, about 1-2 cm in diameter, and bloom infrequently.
Earth Star plants do not produce fruits or seeds and hence propagation is mostly through vegetative methods. The name Cyrptanthus means that the flowers are hidden, and the term zonatus indicates the banded pattern on the leaves.
Gardening Tips
These plants can be grown in flowerbeds or pots. When grown in flowerbeds, they can self-propagate and cover large areas, though they do not grow very fast. When grown in pots, these plants grow slowly, requiring repotting only once in 3-4 years, depending on the size of the pot.|
Earth star plants prefer indirect or filtered sunlight as harsh, direct sunlight can burn the leaf edges. They can be planted underneath large trees so that they get filtered sunlight for most part of the day.
In temperate weather, these plants need to be brought indoors as they cannot tolerate temperatures below 15°C. Earth star plants love humid environments, and so it is beneficial to keep the pots in a tray filled with water. Mist the plants regularly during hot, dry weather to maintain humidity.
Watering is needed only when the soil is dry to touch, as overwatering can ruin the plant. The soil should be well-draining with sufficient amounts of cocopeat, perlite, orchid bark, or pieces of charcoal.
Fertilize once in a couple of months only during the growing season, and not in winter when the plant becomes dormant. Pruning and pesticide application is usually not required for these plants.
Uses of Earth Star Plant
Earth Star Plants are mostly grown as ornamental foliage plants, and they do not have any commercial or medicinal uses.
Since these plants need very little care and maintenance, they make excellent garden plants for the novice or forgetful gardener. They can be grown indoors near sunny windows or in places with good natural light.
Propagation
Propagation is through pups or offsets that grow at the base of the parent plant.
When a pup is sufficiently grown, about one-third the size of parent plants, separate them using a sharp knife and replant in a moist, but well-draining potting mix.
Photographed at: Terminal 2, Bangalore International Airport
