Pentas - a grassy evergreen plant of the Marenov family, grows in the tropics and subtropics of Africa, on the Arabian Peninsula and the island of Madagascar. The flower belongs to the madder family, in which about 50 species are distinguished.
Pentas Description
The plant has an erect stem, elongated lanceolate leaves. Shoots form a bush with a height of about 50 cm. Medium-sized flowers have the shape of a star with five ends, for which the plant got its name.
They come in white and various shades of red and form an inflorescence of an umbrella, reaching 8-10 cm. Like colorful balls, they adorn the bush throughout the flowering period, from spring to mid-autumn. Combining varieties of different colors, you can decorate flowerbeds and balconies to fulfill the planned ornament.
Caring for a Pentas or an Egyptian Star
At home, pentas are mainly lanceolate. He is the most unpretentious.
In open ground, content is only possible in the southern regions, where the temperature does not drop below +10 ° C. In the temperate zone, planted in the garden during the warm season. In this case, the flower grows as an annual.
Pentas propagates in two ways:
- seed;
- vegetative.
Indoor grown from seeds during the year:
- Apply shallow containers and boxes. Planting is done in loose moist soil. Seeds do not sprinkle.
- Crops are covered with film or glass, creating a small greenhouse.
- Maintain a temperature of + 20 ... +25 ° C.
- With sufficient light, the sprouts will sprout in about 2 weeks.
- Seedlings dive after 1-1.5 months, when two true leaves appear.
- After the next month, the seedlings are transplanted one by one into the pots.
- Drainage must be laid at the bottom.
In spring propagated by cuttings:
- cuttings cut at least 5 cm long, or use obtained after trimming;
- to accelerate the formation of roots, they are moistened with a special solution (Kornevin);
- prepare the soil mixture (turf, sheet earth, sand in the same amount);
- use containers with a diameter of 7 cm;
- planted in a moist prepared substrate;
- create greenhouse conditions, maintain a temperature of + 16 ... +18 ° C.
Necessary conditions and care:
| Factor | Spring Summer | Autumn winter |
| Location | South side or balcony with wind protection. | South side. |
| Lighting | Bright sunny. | Additional lighting with fitolamps. |
| Temperature | + 20 ... +25 ° С | Not lower than +16 ° С |
| Humidity | 60-80%. Regular spraying of leaves, the use of a pallet with wet expanded clay. | |
| Watering | Abundant, but without waterlogging. Use soft defended water no colder than the temperature in the room. | Not plentiful, regular, given the drying of the topsoil. |
| Top dressing | Complex and nitrogen-containing fertilizers for flowering plants. Apply after 14 days. | It is not necessary if the plant is resting. |
Transplant and pruning
A young plant develops, the bush increases its volume, so the transplant is carried out every year. Adult plant - after 2 or 3 years.
Pick up a pot larger than the previous one. With the development of the root system so much that the capacity for it is 20 cm in diameter, they simply change the top layer of the soil mixture.
A transplant is carried out in the spring, while carefully removing the flower along with a lump of earth, so as not to injure the roots, and lower it into a container with a prepared substrate.
The Egyptian star grows intensively, the stems are sometimes very elongated. To preserve the aesthetic appearance of the crown, the bush is trimmed and pinched tops, while maintaining a height of not more than 50 cm. This is done in between flowering.
Possible difficulties growing pentas
| Disease, pest | Sign and reason | Remedial measures |
| Chlorosis | Yellowing leaves. Iron deficiency. | Applied to feed iron chelate. |
| Aphid | Small green or brown insects are visible on the plant. The appearance of sticky plaque. Leaves and buds fade. | Spray with marigold infusion or garlic. In the absence of effect, insecticides are used. |
| Spider mite | The appearance of white dots | Processed with infusion of garlic, dandelion roots, onion husks, or a solution of sulfur-tar soap. If it does not help, use insecticides (Actellik, Fitoverm). |
With the correct fulfillment of all the requirements for care, the Egyptian star will delight with its magnificent bloom for four months.
