Pentas

Pentas, also sold as Egyptian starcluster, is a tender shrubby perennial from East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Pentas lanceolata carries domed clusters of small star-shaped flowers in red, pink, lavender, purple, or white above lance-shaped green leaves, and butterflies and hummingbirds work the blooms steadily. Full sun brings the heaviest bloom, though the plant takes part shade, and it accepts sand, loam, or clay where drainage is good. Water regularly at first, then through dry spells; established plants handle moderate drought. Expect 1 to 3 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide, with dwarf selections near 14 inches. Bloom runs spring through fall, and a balanced fertilizer every six weeks keeps new clusters coming. Perennial in USDA zones 8B through 11, where a freeze can knock it back, it is grown as a warm-season annual farther north, and it holds up through Florida heat and humidity.