Pentas plants are a favorite among butterflies and other pollinators. Their clusters of tiny, star-shaped flowers come in multiple colors and can grow anywhere as an annual. As well as supporting pollinators, pentas are completely pet-safe, making them an excellent choice for any pet owner's garden. Here are some of the basic care tips for growing pentas in your garden:
Light Requirements
Bountiful and healthy pentas blooms depend on getting the perfect amount of sunlight. For the best flowers, plant pentas somewhere they'll get at least three hours of direct sun. They can tolerate some shade during the morning or afternoon, but will get stretched out and leggy in between blooms without enough direct light.
Water Needs
Pentas require regular watering, making them a good fit for any garden with an irrigation system already built. Otherwise, keep the soil moist at all times so they don't dry out completely. While your pentas plant can survive drier conditions, parched plants are very susceptible to pests like spider mites. You should also avoid watering over the top of the plant, as brown spots can develop on the leaves from mineral deposits.
Temperature & Humidity
Pentas are tropical plants and love warm temperatures with high humidity. If you live in a drier region, you may need to mist your plant regularly to maintain adequate moisture levels. Pentas will not tolerate the cold, but can overwinter in pots if you bring them indoors. Make sure to bring them indoors before the first frost or take healthy cuttings to propagate again in the spring.
Pruning
Pentas are shrubs and will maintain a shallow, bushy growth pattern as long as they get enough light. However, as the plants mature, they may begin to stretch out and get leggy. Pruning isn't necessary if you're only growing them as an annual for a single season, but if you want them to come back in the spring, trim down the stems low to the ground to encourage healthy new growth.
About the Author
Marsha Charles
Consistent top listing and selling agent receiving Chairman's Club award for superior sales achievement almost every year while associated with Preferred Properties, Inc. Consistently receive the International Presidents Premier award for sales volume since joining Coldwell Banker Realty and ranked in the top 1% of agents in Connecticut and Westchester County. In 2021 I received the International Society of Excellence award for sales volume in excess of $100,000,000. I have been named a Top Five Sales Agent for customer satisfaction since 2010 (longer than any other agent in Connecticut) and listed in Connecticut Magazine. Named one of the Top Agents in Connecticut by Real Trends since 2018.
I work with sellers and buyers and also have a strong understanding to needs of those who are relocating . Background and experience in advertising, public relations and photography offer creative and innovative marketing plans for sellers.
Realtor designations include: Graduate Real Estate Institute, Certified Residential Specialist, Certified Residential Marketing Specialist, and Pricing Strategy Advisor. Served as President of New Canaan Board of Realtors (two terms), Director (three terms) and currently serve on Professional Standards Committee. Named Realtor of the year by the New Canaan Board of Realtors in 1994and again in 2022.
Married and mother of other of four children who attended and graduated from the New Canaan School System, Member of New Canaan, Darien, Greenwich and Statewide MLS systems. Areas covered include New Canaan, Darien, Greenwich, Rowayton, Norwalk, Wilton and all of lower Fairfield County.
