Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Shrub
Origin
Africa, Madagascar
Mexico
Types
Pentas lanceolata, Pentas ledermannii
Pink cestrum, Red cestrum, Purple cestrum
Number of Varieties
300175
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Moist Soils, Wet ground, Wet lands
gardens, High elevation, Roadsides
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-10
Sunset Zone
21,22
H1, H2, 13, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
-
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
243.84 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
91.44 cm300.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Purple, Pink
Magenta, Crimson, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Tan
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
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
Average Water Needs
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
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
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
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Birds, Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Bonsai, Hanging Basket, 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
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves, Root
Flowers, Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Cutflower, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
PENTAS
CESTRUM elegans
Common Name
Pentas, Star flower, Star cluster
Crimson cestrum, Elegant poison-berry, Purple cestrum, Red cestrum
In Hindi
Pentas plant
Butterfly Flower plant
In German
Pentas Pflanze
Schmetterlings-Blumen- Anlage
In French
plante Pentas
usine de fleur de papillon
In Spanish
planta pentas
planta de la flor de mariposa
In Greek
φυτό Pentas
φυτό Πεταλούδα λουλούδι
In Portuguese
planta Pentas
planta de flor de borboleta
In Polish
Pentas roślin
Motyl Kwiat roślin
In Latin
Pentas herba
Flos plantae Gloria
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Vascular plant
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Solanales
Family
Rubiaceae
Solanaceae
Genus
Pentas
Cestrum
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Knoxieae
Cestreae
Subfamily
Rubioideae
Browallioideae
Number of Species
82250
1
27800
👆🏻