Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Vegetable, Vines
Origin
Africa, Madagascar
North America, Mexico, Central America
Types
Pentas lanceolata, Pentas ledermannii
Winter squash, Field pumpkin, Crookneck pumpkin
Number of Varieties
3008
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Moist Soils, Wet ground, Wet lands
close to waterfalls, Riverbanks, Warmer regions, waterways, Wet ground
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-151-6
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-1
Sunset Zone
21,22
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
-
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
243.84 cm91.44 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
91.44 cm609.60 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Purple, Pink
Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Tan
Orange Red, Yellow Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Early Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Well drained
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Rooted stem cutting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, Prune in spring, Prune in summer, Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove hanging branches
prune leaves so as to circulate fresh air, Remove Vines
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 13-13-13 amounts
Apply 5-10-5 amounts, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Gray leaf blight, Scab
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Salt and Soil Compaction
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Beetles, Bugs
Allergy
-
Asthma, breathing problems, Itchiness, Swelling in the face
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin and hair, Skin cleanser, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Diarrhea, Malaria, Snakebite, To Treat Ascariasis, To Treat Lymphadenitis
Anemia, Antibacterial, anti-cancer, cholesterol-lowering, High blood pressure, Immunity, Prevention of convulsion, Regulates Blood Sugar
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves, Root
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in salads
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
PENTAS
CUCURBITA moschata 'Long Island Cheese'
Common Name
Pentas, Star flower, Star cluster
Long Island Cheese Pumpkin, Winter Pumpkin
In Hindi
Pentas plant
चीनी कद्दू
In German
Pentas Pflanze
chinesisch Kürbis
In French
plante Pentas
potiron chinois
In Spanish
planta pentas
calabaza china
In Greek
φυτό Pentas
κινέζικο κολοκύθα
In Portuguese
planta Pentas
abóbora chinês
In Polish
Pentas roślin
Chiński dyni
In Latin
Pentas herba
Chinese cucurbita
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Vascular plant
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Violales
Family
Rubiaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Pentas
Cucurbita
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Knoxieae
Cucurbiteae
Subfamily
Rubioideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
829
1
27800
👆🏻