Light. Give it bright, indirect light or morning and evening sun. Midday sun bleaches and shrivels the leaves; too much shade dulls the color.
Water. It has no central cup, so water the soil when it is dry to the touch. In hot weather, water regularly. It likes humidity.
Soil and feeding. Unlike most bromeliads it grows in soil. It needs well-drained, humus-rich soil. Fertilize regularly during the growing season.
Size. About 6 in tall, forming flat, star-shaped rosettes.
Problems to watch. Usually trouble free, but mealybugs, scale and mites can appear. It suffers when temperatures drop into the low 40s°F.
Good to know. Each rosette blooms once and then dies, leaving pups. Pull pups off when they are about a third the parent's size and replant them. Outdoors in warm areas, it spreads into a groundcover. It is listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Sources: NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Cryptanthus bivittatus · UF/IFAS Extension Charlotte County: Twinkle, twinkle, little earth star · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder: Cryptanthus (group)
