Pentas lanceolata (Egyptian starcluster)

Japanese name: ペンタス
Scientific name: Pentas lanceolata

[Overview]
An evergreen perennial or subshrub 30–130 cm tall.
It branches well, and the base of the stem becomes woody.
The whole plant is densely covered with soft hairs.
The leaves are simple and opposite, lanceolate to ovate, 10–15 cm long and about 6 cm wide.
They have short petioles and comb-toothed stipules.
Corymbs at the stem tips bear many flowers in a hemispherical shape.
The flowers are funnel-shaped, 1.5 cm across and about 1.5–2 cm long, with the tip divided into 5 star-shaped lobes.
Flower colors include white, pink and red.
The fruit is a capsule.

[Cultivation]
Propagate by division or cuttings.
It can overwinter if the temperature stays at 5°C or above.
It prefers sunny, airy, well-drained soil.
It is sensitive to stuffiness and to overly wet soil.
For potted plants, water thoroughly after the soil dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
However, it easily suffers from lack of water while in bloom, so care is needed.
Besides a base fertilizer, apply slow-release fertilizer in spring to autumn.
Remove spent flowers promptly.
It is best to divide the plant every year.
If the branches become too crowded, air circulation inside the plant worsens and this can cause disease, so prune whenever necessary.
Pests and diseases include gray mold, damping-off and scale insects.

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