Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Fruit
Origin
Africa, Madagascar
Southern Asia, India, Melanesia, Australia
Types
Pentas lanceolata, Pentas ledermannii
Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis
Number of Varieties
3001
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Moist Soils, Wet ground, Wet lands
Well Drained
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-9
Sunset Zone
21,22
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
-
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
243.84 cm370.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
91.44 cm300.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Purple, Pink
White, Purple
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Tan
Yellow
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Spring, Spring, Winter, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Rooted stem cutting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Budding, Cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
Keep the Soil well drained, 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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial 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 in spring, Remove branches, Remove branches that rub together, Remove crossing or rubbing branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 13-13-13 amounts
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, fertilize in spring, fertilize in summer, organic fertlizers
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
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Diarrhea, Malaria, Snakebite, To Treat Ascariasis, To Treat Lymphadenitis
Respiratory Disorders, Soothing and relieving pain
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves, Root
Flowers, Fruits
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Making Perfumes, Traditional medicine, Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Shade Trees, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
PENTAS
CITRUS medica var. sarcodactylis
Common Name
Pentas, Star flower, Star cluster
Buddha's Hand, Fingered Citron
In Hindi
Pentas plant
Buddha's Hand
Tree
In German
Pentas Pflanze
Buddhas Hand
Baum
In French
plante Pentas
Main de Bouddha
Arbre
In Spanish
planta pentas
Mano de Buda
Árbol
In Greek
φυτό Pentas
Χέρι του Βούδα
Δέντρο
In Portuguese
planta Pentas
Mão de Buda
Árvore
In Polish
Pentas roślin
Ręka Buddy
Drzewo
In Latin
Pentas herba
Buddha manus
Arbor
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Vascular plant
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Gentianales
Sapindales
Family
Rubiaceae
Rutaceae
Genus
Pentas
Citrus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Knoxieae
-
Subfamily
Rubioideae
-
Number of Species
821
1
27800
👆🏻