Library Assistant, Dylan Levi, is pictured with Clermont Garden Club member, Linda Lauletta, with a bromeliad arrangement at Cooper Memorial Library in Clermont, FL.
Clermont Garden Club member and Recording Secretary, Linda Lauletta, loaned an arrangement of bromeliads to the Cooper Memorial Library for the month of August. The arrangement consists of one pink earth star and two zebra earth stars surrounded by light green moss.
Cryptanthus Bromeliads (Earth Stars)
Genus: Cryptanthus Species: zonatus Family: Bromeliaceae
The Cryptanthus grows from a flattened rosette. The leaves are wavy and feature a striped pattern. They are typically available in various shades of red, green, white, and pink. Cryptanthus are terrestrial bromeliads i.e., grow in the ground. Height: 0 ft. 6 in. – 1 ft. 0 in. Width: 1 ft. 0 in. – 1 ft. 4 in.
Water and soil – Keep them moist. But do not rest them in standing water. Bromeliads are surprisingly tolerant of short periods of drought. Don’t pour water into the rosette. Always water the soil, as water can get trapped in the leaves and cause mildew or fungal growth. The Cryptanthus likes Acid Soil, pH 4.0-6.0.
Temperature and Humidity – Cryptanthus bromeliads grow outdoors in USDA hardiness zones 8 to 11. Also as an ideal houseplant keeping them around 60 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit will allow these bromeliads to thrive.
Sun Requirements – Perennial plant that requires full sun to partial shade.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems; Mealybugs and scale are occasional problems. The ASPCA lists Cryptanthus as non-toxic to both cats and dogs.
