Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Annual
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Tender Perennial
Origin
Africa, Madagascar
Southeastern Asia
Types
Pentas lanceolata, Pentas ledermannii
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Habitat
Moist Soils, Wet ground, Wet lands
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15
10-11
Sunset Zone
21,22
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Flower Color
White, Red, Purple, Pink
White, Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
V-Shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Tolerances
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container
How to Plant?
Rooted stem cutting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
From Rhizomes
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
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
-
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 13-13-13 amounts
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Flowers
Yes
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Foliage Texture
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Attracts
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Allergy
-
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Environmental Uses
Air purification
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Medicinal Uses
Diarrhea, Malaria, Snakebite, To Treat Ascariasis, To Treat Lymphadenitis
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves, Root
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
Insignificant
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
PENTAS
ALOCASIA micholitziana
Common Name
Pentas, Star flower, Star cluster
Elephant Ear, Taro
In Hindi
Pentas plant
अरवी
In German
Pentas Pflanze
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
In French
plante Pentas
Colocasia
In Spanish
planta pentas
Colocasia
In Greek
φυτό Pentas
Colocasia
In Portuguese
planta Pentas
Colocasia
In Polish
Pentas roślin
Kolokazja
In Latin
Pentas herba
Colocasia
Phylum
Vascular plant
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Knoxieae
Colocasiodeae
Subfamily
Rubioideae
Aroideae
Season and Care of Pentas and Taro
Season and care of Pentas and Taro is important to know. While considering everything about Pentas and Taro Care, growing season is an essential factor. Pentas season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Taro season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Pentas is Loam and for Taro is Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Pentas is Acidic, Neutral and for Taro is Acidic, Neutral.
Pentas and Taro Physical Information
Pentas and Taro physical information is very important for comparison. Pentas height is 243.84 cm and width 91.44 cm whereas Taro height is 30.00 cm and width 30.00 cm. The color specification of Pentas and Taro are as follows:
Pentas flower color: White, Red, Purple and Pink
Pentas leaf color: Green
Taro flower color: White and Green
- Taro leaf color: Dark Green and Ivory
Care of Pentas and Taro
Care of Pentas and Taro include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Pentas pruning is done Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, Prune in spring, Prune in summer, Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves and Remove hanging branches and Taro pruning is done . In summer Pentas needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Taro needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.