Cryptanthus

The genus Cryptanthus contains about 25 species and varieties. Perennial herbaceous stemless or short-stemmed plants, unlike most bromeliads, grow on the ground. They form star-shaped rosettes of many dense leathery leaves covered with small scales, often decorative and bright in color. White flowers are small and rather inconspicuous, appear in summer from bracts, collected in dense head-shaped or spike-shaped inflorescences. Cryptanthus trees can also be grown as epiphytic crops. They easily tolerate dry periods in nature and, accordingly, dry indoor air. Most often, a miniature cryptanthus bivittatus (Cryptanthus bivittatus) is grown, up to 7-8 cm high. The rosette consists of wavy short leaves with a finely toothed edge, light green in color, with two white longitudinal stripes. The Rose-painted variety has bronze leaves with a pink stripe. Cryptanthus stalkless (C. acaulis) is a low species with green wavy and prickly leaves. Most popular in the culture are 'Silvery' with leaves whose upper side is covered with silver scales, and ' Red ' with light green leaves with a purple tint. Cryptanthus bromeliad (C. bromelioides) - this crop grows up to 35 cm in height. The leaves are shiny olive-green in color with a bronze tinge, forming a more sprawling rosette compared to other species. Cryptanthus Foster (C. fosterianus) has a large rosette (50 cm in diameter), very flattened. Reddish-brown leaves with a serrated edge are covered with a transverse grayish-white pattern. Cryptanthus striatum (C. zonatus) is a plant with a dense rosette of leaves covered with transverse white irregular stripes. This is one of the most common types.

The genus Cryptanthus contains about 25 species and varieties. Perennial herbaceous stemless or short-stemmed plants, unlike most bromeliads, grow on the ground. They form star-shaped rosettes of many dense leathery leaves covered with small scales, often decorative and bright in color. White flowers are small and rather inconspicuous, appear in summer from bracts, collected in dense head-shaped or spike-shaped inflorescences.

Cryptanthus trees can also be grown as epiphytic crops. They easily tolerate dry periods in nature and, accordingly, dry indoor air.

Most often, a miniature cryptanthus bivittatus (Cryptanthus bivittatus) is grown, up to 7-8 cm high. The rosette consists of wavy short leaves with a finely toothed edge, light green in color, with two white longitudinal stripes. The Rose-painted variety has bronze leaves with a pink stripe.

Cryptanthus stalkless (C. acaulis) is a low species with green wavy and prickly leaves. Most popular in the culture are 'Silvery' with leaves whose upper side is covered with silver scales, and ' Red ' with light green leaves with a purple tint.

Cryptanthus bromeliad (C. bromelioides) - this crop grows up to 35 cm in height. The leaves are shiny olive-green in color with a bronze tinge, forming a more sprawling rosette compared to other species.

Cryptanthus Foster (C. fosterianus) has a large rosette (50 cm in diameter), very flattened. Reddish-brown leaves with a serrated edge are covered with a transverse grayish-white pattern.

Cryptanthus striatum (C. zonatus) is a plant with a dense rosette of leaves covered with transverse white irregular stripes. This is one of the most common types.

Cultivation

At home, cryptanthus trees are grown in small (8-12 cm) pots, singly or in compositions with other crops. In hot climates, they can be exposed to the open air, protected from direct sunlight, and in winter they should be cleaned in the house. Usually, a very loose substrate is used as a soil, for example, a mixture of fertile land, peat, leaf humus and sand; organic fertilizers are added. During the spring-summer period, once a month they are fed with complex fertilizers at the rate of 10 g per bucket of soil. Frequent spraying is useful.

Location

The pattern on the leaves is clearly visible only in good light. However, do not place the plant in direct sunlight, which can lead to burns and discoloration of the leaves.

Temperature

The optimal temperature in winter is 18-20 °C, in summer 22-28 °C. The soil temperature should not be lower than the air temperature.

Watering

In summer, they are watered regularly and abundantly with settled or rainwater, in winter - very moderately. Frequent spraying is recommended.

Transplant

When transplanting, the soil is partially renewed and fertilized with mineral fertilizers.

Care

Remove damaged parts of the plant and dried leaves.

Reproduction

Propagate by daughter shoots, less often by seeds. When transplanting, it is recommended to separate children who easily take root at soil temperatures above 20 °C.

Diseases

If the plant is kept in too- wet a substrate, worms can damage its root system during the winter months. Drugs designed to combat them are not suitable for use at home. Therefore, sick plants can only be removed in order to avoid infection of healthy ones. Too much light causes burns on the leaves - the leaves become discolored. Carefully choose a place to place these plants.

Acquisition

Cryptanthus trees are easy to get in flower shops and gardening centers. Plants should have a well-defined pattern on the leaves.