Life Span
Annual
Annual and Perennial
Type
Shrub
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
Southern Africa
Africa, Madagascar
Types
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Pentas lanceolata, Pentas ledermannii
Number of Varieties
20300
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
Moist Soils, Wet ground, Wet lands
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
-
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
21,22
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
-
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm243.84 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm91.44 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
White, Red, Purple, Pink
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Red
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic and Ovate
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
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
Shade areas
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Rooted stem cutting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water daily during growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
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
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
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
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 13-13-13 amounts
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Shade areas
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
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Diarrhea, Malaria, Snakebite, To Treat Ascariasis, To Treat Lymphadenitis
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
Flowers, Leaves, Root
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Container, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa
PENTAS
Common Name
Carissia
Pentas, Star flower, Star cluster
In Hindi
Carissa
Pentas plant
In German
carissa
Pentas Pflanze
In French
carissa
plante Pentas
In Spanish
carissa
planta pentas
In Greek
carissa
φυτό Pentas
In Portuguese
carissa
planta Pentas
In Polish
carissa
Pentas roślin
In Latin
carissa
Pentas herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Vascular plant
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Gentianales
Family
Apocynaceae
Rubiaceae
Genus
Carissa
Pentas
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Carisseae
Knoxieae
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
Rubioideae
Number of Species
10082
1
27800
👆🏻