The Colorful Cryptanthus

This is the Cryptanthus bivittatus ‘Pink Starlite’. Belonging to the Bromeliaceae family, this variety is one of the most appealing and colorful among the Cryptanthus group.

There are three varieties under the species bivittatus: Cryptanthus bivittatus minor, Cryptanthus bivittatus ‘pink starlite’ and Cryptanthus bivittatus ‘tricolor’. The Crypt. bivittatus minor syn. roceus pictus is a “rose-striped star” that originated from Brazil. It is small with flattened, starlike and terrestrial rosette form with finely-toothed leaves. It has a satiny olive-green plant with two pale bands. Overcast with salmon rose color, it turns coppery red in strong sunlight.

The Crypt. bivittatus ‘pink starlite’ is a small beautiful plant, flat rosette in form. It has an average size of six to eight centimeters across and is nearly a perfect star in shape. The almost triangular leaves, which are moss-green along center towards the margins, have contrasting cream, wide bands with finely-toothed edges of vivid, and pleasing rosy-red color. Said to be a cultivar, it is ideal for small dishgardens and terrarium planting. Normally, they are potted in small containers and are good for window display.

The third species is Crypt. bivittatus tricolor is a handsome plant, quite larger than the first two, rosette in form with narrow lanceolate, stiff leathery leaves up to 20 cm. long. Its color is olive-green with cream white marginal bands, tinged with rose, crisped and wavy along sides. This type is humid-tropical.

The Bromeliads originated from South America, mostly from Brazil, Mexico and other parts of Central America. The first Bromeliad introduced during the time of the explorations of Columbus, Amerigo Vespucci, Oviedo and Portuguese explorers, was the Ananas (from the Brazilian Guarani Indian word “Anana”) commonly called pineapple. This was taken to Europe and then carried around the world. It is said that it took roots and flourished in almost every tropical country, such as India, Philippines, java and Sumatra – wherever the old explorers went, including the little islands of Moluccas, Amboina.

There are two distinct types of Bromeliads: the terrestrial and the epiphytic. The terrestrial are the ones that can be cultured in soil like the pineapple, while the epiphytic are those that inhabit tree trunks.

The Cryptanthus are generally epiphytic. They can, however, be also grown in the ground using fern chips, coconut coir fiber or any potting medium that is porous and does not cause the water to stay stagnant. When water is stagnant, this will become acidic in a week or more, and it is the acidity that causes the rotting of roots of most plants.