Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Fruit, Shrub
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
South America
Africa, Madagascar
Types
V. × heilbornii
Pentas lanceolata, Pentas ledermannii
Number of Varieties
0300
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
Moist Soils, Wet ground, Wet lands
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-9
-
Sunset Zone
H1, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
21,22
Habit
Upright/Erect
-
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm243.84 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm91.44 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
White, Red, Purple, Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Palmate
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Vegetative Reproduction
Rooted stem cutting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove shoots
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
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 13-13-13 amounts
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Digestive disorders
Diarrhea, Malaria, Snakebite, To Treat Ascariasis, To Treat Lymphadenitis
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Flowers, Leaves, Root
Other Uses
Used in making champagne
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Container, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
VASCONCELLEA x heilbornii
PENTAS
Common Name
Babaco, Mountain Papaya
Pentas, Star flower, Star cluster
In Hindi
Babaco
Pentas plant
In German
Babaco
Pentas Pflanze
In French
Babaco
plante Pentas
In Spanish
Babaco
planta pentas
In Greek
Babaco
φυτό Pentas
In Portuguese
Babaco
planta Pentas
In Polish
Babaco
Pentas roślin
In Latin
Babaco
Pentas herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Vascular plant
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Brassicales
Gentianales
Family
Caricaceae
Rubiaceae
Genus
Vasconcellea
Pentas
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Knoxieae
Subfamily
-
Rubioideae
Number of Species
182
1
27800
👆🏻