Plant of the Week
Butterfly Pentas
Latin: Digitalis Pentas lanceolata
Trying new plants is half of the fun of gardening. Pentas,
while certainly not new, was considered primarily a greenhouse plant until the
past few years when growers started offering it as a summer annual much like the
more common lantana. Because it does so well in the heat and humidity of
Arkansas the Butterfly Pentas was selected as an Arkansas Select plant for 2002.
Butterfly Pentas (Pentas lanceolata) is a member of the
subtropical madder family to which coffee and quinine belong. In its native
habitat in tropical east Africa and southern Arabia Pentas grows as a subshrub
with woody stems at the base and herbaceous stems above.
In the garden Pentas plants can grow to 24 inches tall with a
spread of 16 inches. Plants have opposite, lance shaped leaves to three inches
long that are covered with short hairs. The plant branches freely from the base
with each branch terminating in a dense cluster of flowers that can be three or
four inches across.
Pentas flowers are tubular with each bloom producing a
star-shaped set of petals at the end of the tube. Flower colors are in vivid
shades of red, pink, blue and white and plants continue to bloom all summer. The
blooms are clustered together into a dense flat topped cyme which makes an ideal
perch for the butterflies that can be seen circling around it like miniature
buzzards awaiting their turn at a dead armadillo.
Pentas is one of those plants like coleus and vinca that became
known by their Latin names instead of some fanciful common name. The only common
name I find listed for Pentas is "Egyptian Star Flower", but I've never heard
anyone actually call it that. The name Pentas is the Greek word for five and is
the same root word as Pentagon, and refers to the five lobes on the floral tube.
The Butterfly Pentas strain was selected as an Arkansas Select
plant for 2002 because the committee of University and Arkansas Green Industry
professionals which make the recommendations unanimously agreed on its
outstanding performance across the state. For a complete list of Arkansas Select
plants for 2002 consult the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service
website at
Pentas can be used in the garden in mass plantings or as spots
of color in the border. They should have full sun and a reasonably fertile soil
but are by no means picky about the site. Less than six hours of sun will reduce
flowering. Once established they have good heat and drought tolerance.
Plants can be propagated by cuttings or from seed. Growing plants from seed
is slow and requires about 14 weeks to produce a blooming plant. Few insects or
disease problems are reported on this plant. At the end of the summer cuttings
can be taken and plant will continue to bloom through the winter if located in a
warm, south facing window.
By: Gerald Klingaman, retired
Extension Horticulturist
- Ornamentals
Extension News -
May 17, 2002
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