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Glossary

Pentas, Pentas lanceolata

Go to - Landscape Trees
Landscape Shrubs

Family - Rubinaceae

Pentas also goes by the common names of Starflower, Starcluster or Egyptian Starcluster. This tall perennial or small shrub grows to 3-4 feet tall with an equal spread.

This hardy little plant blooms throughout the warm months, in S. Florida that's pretty much year round.

The 2-3 inch wide clusters of star shaped flowers are equally attractive to Butterflies & Hummingbirds, the latter preferring the red flowered variety over the pinks, white, or lavender flowers.

U.S.D.A. Zones 8b-11. Pentas can be grown as an annual in areas that freeze, elsewhere they are perennial.

Pentas prefers full sun to partial shade on well drained, rich soil with regular moisture but will tolerate a range of soils and has a medium amount of drought tolerance.

In the landscape Pentas is used in mass plantings, Butterfly gardens & as borders or understory plantings in combination with other plants. Propagation is by seed or green cuttings rooted in a moist medium.

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