Pentas flower: growing from seeds, care rules and description of the best varieties

Growing an Egyptian star, as the pentas flower is also called, is not difficult. The only point worth paying attention to is that in the middle latitudes it is cultivated only as an annual plant in open ground. But at home, on the windowsill, an exotic guest pleases with bright colors in the cloudy season - from October to February. The homeland of this plant, like the whole genus of Rubiaceae, is the tropics of Africa and the island of Madagascar.

General description and characteristics of perennial culture

In the open field, an annual plant reaches 0.5 meters.It is characterized by weakly branched erect shoots and leaves of green color and broadly lanceolate shape. The length of the pentas leaf plates does not exceed 8 cm. Tubular flowers on an exotic plant appear in spring, this process continues until autumn. The buds have a different color, this parameter depends on the variety.

Pentas varieties

Lanceolate pentas has several varieties:

• New bow F1. The hybrid is characterized by abundant flowering and a height not exceeding 25 cm. The flowers have a pink, white, red hue.
• Starla white. It stretches to a height of up to 45 cm. It blooms with snow-white five-pointed stars.
• Starla Lavender Shades. A powerful plant, reaching a height of 50 cm. The shade of the inflorescences is a delicate lilac.
• Starla mix. The variety blooms continuously for six months with purple, pink and white stars.

Pros and cons of a flower

Before planting, they study the pros and cons of an exotic crop.

Benefits for gardeners include:

• Attractive ornamental plant.
• Variety of shades of colors.
• Long flowering period.

From the shortcomings are:

• Unable to grow as a perennial in our climate.
• Demanding on the composition of the soil and lighting.
• The need for pruning to maintain decorative qualities.

Subtleties of growing ornamental crops

As a rule, the process of growing an Egyptian star begins with sowing seeds for seedlings.

Lighting and placement

Sunlight is a prerequisite for growing pentas. However, it is better to choose a place where there will be light shade in the strong midday sun. Light breeze or small drafts are not terrible for the Egyptian star.

Preparation of planting material

Pentas seeds are purchased at a specialized gardening store. Such material does not need special preparation; some gardeners soak it for several minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Start sowing in January.

Planting material

Fertile soil is laid out in a plastic container, slightly moistened with water from a spray bottle. Seeds are scattered on its surface - it is not necessary to cover it with earth. From above, the container is covered with glass or plastic wrap and cleaned in a warm place. Do not forget to regularly moisten the soil. After 3 weeks, shoots appear, then the seedlings are planted in separate containers.

Plant pattern

After 5-6 weeks after the dive, young seedlings are transferred to the street. However, it is necessary to wait until stable warm weather is established. Pentas does not impose special requirements on the composition of the soil, the only condition is fertility.

Nuances of flower care

In order for the Egyptian star to please with long and abundant flowering, they organize minimal flower care.

Irrigation

For irrigation of pentas seedlings, only water settled in advance is used. Moisturize the soil regularly, but try not to flood the flowers. A sign that the plant needs watering is the dried topsoil. If you constantly overdo it with irrigation, this will lead to decay of the root system and the subsequent death of the flower.

Fertilizer

Long flowering gardener will be able to observe only if during the growing season he uses top dressing. Carry out the fertilization procedure every 10-14 days. Purchase complex preparations for flowering crops.

Cutting

The decorative qualities of the Egyptian star depend on timely pruning. To preserve the beauty of the plant throughout the season, do not allow the pentas to grow higher than 45 centimeters. And in order to make the bushes more lush, periodically pinch the young shoots at the top of the Egyptian star.

Transfer

If the Egyptian star is grown in a flower bed in the open field, then a transplant is not needed. Every year, seeds are re-sown for seedlings and planted on the site. In the case when pentas is a houseplant placed in a pot, they are transplanted annually, changing the container to a larger one.

At an older age, the Egyptian star is allowed to be transplanted once every 2 years, while it is recommended to slightly trim the roots.

Diseases, pests and ways to deal with them

Tropical flower is rarely affected by pests and diseases. Especially if the plant is properly cared for. In rare cases, the gardener is faced with the following problems:

• Chlorosis. This disease occurs due to a lack of iron in the soil. The leaves of the Egyptian star first turn yellow, and then completely die off. To save the plant, fertilizing with iron chelate is introduced.
• Aphids. Small insects secrete a sticky sap that coats the leaf blades of the plant. With a small amount of the pest, folk recipes are used - an infusion of marigolds or garlic. In case of severe infection, the use of insectoacaricides cannot be dispensed with. The most effective in pest control are "Aktellik", "Aktara".
• Spider mite. A sticky web that enveloped an Egyptian star is the first sign of a pest. Small dots are visible on the inside of the leaf - this is the pest. With a small accumulation of insects, a solution of green soap is used, which is used to wipe the leaves of the plant. In case of mass damage, acaricides are purchased and used according to the instructions on the package.

Reproduction methods

Since in our latitudes the tropical flower is grown only as an annual plant, it is bred annually with the help of seeds, sowing them in January for seedlings.

Application in garden design

Due to the variety of colors and long flowering period, pentas is ideal for decorating the garden landscape. An Egyptian star is used to decorate borders and flower beds, it is planted in the foreground, and high evergreen shrubs (thuja, juniper) are placed in the background.The main thing when planting pentas on the site is to take into account the combination of shades so that the flower beds do not look too pretentious.

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