By Grace Rabano & The Clermont Garden Club
Every month, from September through May, Clermont Garden Club members loan plants to Cooper Memorial Library and Clermont City Hall to promote horticulture awareness and connect our community to Clermont Garden Club’s programs, civic activities, and community outreach.
Clermont Garden Club member, Grace Rabano, loaned a Crypthanthus bivittatus plant to Cooper Memorial Library. Crypthanthus bivittatus, more commonly known as the Earth Star, are incredibly varied plants in the family Bromeliaceae which are native to Brazil and treasured for their colored and/or patterned leaves. The “Absolute Zero” variety, loaned by Grace, has nearly black leaves with striking silvery-white bands. It is low-growing at about 4 inches tall, but can be up to 10 inches wide. The plant prefers moist, well-drained soil with strong, indirect sunlight. The mother plant may produce a bloom once in its lifetime, thereafter sending out offshoot pups which can be repotted and propagated. This Earth Star was gifted to Grace by her fellow Garden Club member, Tina Worrell.
Tina Worrell loaned her Earth Star “Pink Starlite” to Clermont City Hall. Pink Starlite, whose blush red and green leaves reach a height of only 6-8 inches, has received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. Tina enjoys growing different varieties of Earth Stars and sharing them with others, who then share their Earth Stars. Tina hopes that Earth Stars bring a ray of hope and joy to their owners.
Clermont Garden Club members meet monthly (September through May) at the clubhouse located at 849 West Avenue, Clermont, FL. We warmly welcome guests to attend our meetings in the New Year. Clermont Garden Club is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
