Cryptanthus bivittatus (brown) T6
small, terrestrial-growing bromeliad from Brazil, perfect for tropical terrariums.
Cryptanthus bivittatus, also known as Earth Star, is a small, terrestrial-growing bromeliad from Brazil. The species was described by Regel in 1871.
The name "bivittatus" means "with two stripes" and refers to the typical light longitudinal stripes along the leaves. It belongs to the subfamily Bromelioideae and is particularly popular for its leaf coloration.
Characteristics:
This bromeliad grows close to the ground and forms flat, star-shaped rosettes with narrow, elongated leaves. The foliage color varies by variety from green with silvery stripes to vibrant pink or red. The flowers are small, whitish, and appear in the center of the rosette, usually well hidden among the leaves. After flowering, the mother plant dies, but it reliably produces offsets.
Care Instructions:
Light: Bright to partially shaded, no direct midday sun – strong coloration with sufficient light.
Water: Keep the soil evenly slightly moist, but avoid waterlogging.
Humidity: Medium to high (above 50%), benefits from higher humidity.
Fertilizer: In spring and summer, 1–2 times per month with our special bromeliad or houseplant fertilizer in diluted form.
Temperature: 18–28 °C, do not let it drop below 15 °C.
Note: Cryptanthus bivittatus is excellent for windowsills, plant bowls, or as a colorful accent in terrariums. Due to its compact growth and bright colors, it is particularly decorative and easy to care for – ideal for beginners.
Our greenhouses are equipped with modern energy screens and double glazing to efficiently save on heating costs. Additionally, we collect rainwater over the entire roof area of 9,000 square meters and use only this water to irrigate all our crops. We collect the rainwater in underground tanks with a total volume of 600,000 liters.
Since 2007, we have been heating our entire operation with a fully automated 850 kW wood chip heating system and a 100,000-liter buffer storage tank. Environmentally friendly and CO2-neutral. Only to support during very cold winter days and nights is a conventional oil heating system available.
Since 2014, the heating has been supported by a solar thermal system with an annual yield of about 20 megawatt-hours.
In 2020, we installed a photovoltaic system with 30 kW peak and have been producing more green electricity per year than our entire operation requires.
Since 2021, we use exclusively pots for our self-produced plants that are not only 100% recyclable but are also entirely made from recycled pots. To this end, we collect all used pots that arise in our operation and have them picked up in big bags by our pot supplier Göttinger. There, the pots are cleaned and processed in a water-free recycling facility into new pots that come back to us.
