Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Annual
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Sedge or Rush
Origin
Africa, Madagascar
Southern Europe, United Kingdom, Northern Africa
Types
Pentas lanceolata, Pentas ledermannii
-
Number of Varieties
30020
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Moist Soils, Wet ground, Wet lands
Grassland, Humid climates, Riverbanks, Wet forest
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-158-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
11-1
Sunset Zone
21,22
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
-
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
243.84 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
91.44 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Purple, Pink
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Tan
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Rooted stem cutting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Requires regular watering, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial 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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Insects
Allergy
-
Asthma, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beautification
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Diarrhea, Malaria, Snakebite, To Treat Ascariasis, To Treat Lymphadenitis
Digestion problems, Fever
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves, Root
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Bog Garden, Container, Edging, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
PENTAS
ISOLEPIS cernua
Common Name
Pentas, Star flower, Star cluster
Low Bulrush
Slender Clubrush
In Hindi
Pentas plant
फाइबर ऑप्टिक घास
In German
Pentas Pflanze
Lichtwellenleiter-Gras
In French
plante Pentas
Fibre optique Herbe
In Spanish
planta pentas
Hierba de fibra óptica
In Greek
φυτό Pentas
Οπτικών Ινών Grass
In Portuguese
planta Pentas
Fibra Óptica Relva
In Polish
Pentas roślin
Światłowody Trawa
In Latin
Pentas herba
Fiber opticus Grass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Vascular plant
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Gentianales
Poales
Family
Rubiaceae
Cyperaceae
Genus
Pentas
Isolepis
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Knoxieae
-
Subfamily
Rubioideae
Pooideae
Number of Species
8270
1
27800
👆🏻