Growing Pentas

amancalledgeorge

Hi all,

As I was perusing another garden centre, as one does while visiting the gardens of Hall Place in Bexley I was taken by the lovely pink/purple star shaped flowers of Pentas Norther Lights. The label has scant information and what I have found online is that it usually doesn't survive past winter in our climate and it's grown as an annual.

Have any of you grown them and have you got any tips to share? I'll wrap it with some fleece in the off chance it survives. But if not...it will provide another source of nectar for bees and butterflies.

amancalledgeorge

I'll bump up my own post 🤣

Fairygirl

I'd never heard of this @amancalledgeorge, but I had a look at some of the info. I wonder if you could overwinter it in the house, if you don't have a greenhouse ?

Pete.8

Maybe save some seed and sow next spring? From what I've read they need warmth throughout the season.
As Fg says above it's not hardy and usually treated as an annual - it does look lovey and the flowers remind me of my daphne tangutica. Well worth trying to keep it indoors over winter and see if it survives.
I'd not heard of them before your post.

Silver surfer

Love it.
Never grown Pentas lanceolata...common name Egyptian star.
It is found in Africa.
I have seen it ....but only  in very hot tropical countries.
It comes in pink, red, white and a light lilac and can get tall.
It is very tender
Suspect you would need a heated greenhouse.

2 company in UK sell it...more info here...
Hope this helps.

https://www.shrublandparknurseries.co.uk/pentas-lanceolata.html

https://www.crosscommonnursery.co.uk/conservatory-plants/pentas-lanceolata.html

https://www.google.com/search?q=pentas+lanceolata&client=firefox-b-d&channel=crow&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiCyayt_bHkAhXfQEEAHSSLCDkQ_AUIESgB&biw=1920&bih=944

amancalledgeorge

Thanks all...only found a couple of previous references on here, so thought I'd ask. Apparently the variety I bought can stand a bit of colder weather...will pop it in the summer house with a bit of fleece at the end of the season, and let's see what happens. It's rather beautiful, so will enjoy while it lasts! 

Fairygirl

Hope it does ok for you @amancalledgeorge. Let us know how it works out. Looks like a nice plant 

amancalledgeorge

I will report back @Fairygirl always up to try something different 😃

Fairygirl

Nice to have a go at something, as you say @amancalledgeorge