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Planting perennials is an inexpensive way to add color and texture to the landscape year-round. Pentas are tropical flowering plants of the warm region, so named because of the five-pointed petals on the flowers. The plants come in a plethora of colors, so learn how to care for pentas and enjoy their rich jewel tones. If you know how to breed pentas, you also have a foolproof way to attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Pentas Flowers Info Pentas (Pentas lanceolata) are also called Egyptian stars because of the five-pointed shape of the flower. The plant is a shrub that grows up to 2 m high and 1 m wide. It is a shaggy plant with a stubborn shape that bears oval to spear-shaped foliage. The flowers are generally pink, red, or white, but new cultivars have introduced shades of purple and lavender, and mixed flowers such as pink with red centers.
These plants are fairly slow growing and are often found as a container or bedding plant. Penta’s plant care is similar to any warm season perennial. They are not susceptible to many diseases, and the main problem of pests is spider mites.
Pentas flowers can be used as annuals in summer in climates colder than USDA plant hardiness zone 10. They’ll just die off when the cold weather comes, or you can try growing pentas plants indoors. How To Grow Pentas If you want more of these delightful plants, they’re pretty easy to propagate. Pentas plants grow from seed or from softwood cuttings. In spring, take cuttings from end wood and dip the ends in rooting hormone. Push the cut stalk into a soilless medium, such as sand, that has been previously moistened. The cutting will root and produce a new plant within a few weeks. Growing Pentas plants from seed is a quick way to grow many of the small plants, but if you want to flower earlier, try the vegetative method.
How to Care for Pentas Pentas are low maintenance plants. Provided they get plenty of water, sun, and warmth, they will thrive and reward you with an abundance of buds. Deadhead pentas flowers to encourage more blooms. Care of young Pentas plants should include pinching off the stem ends to force a more compact plant. Fertilize in the spring with a granular slow-release fertilizer. Mulch around plants in the ground to conserve water and deter weeds.
