Pentas
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| Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture |
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Pentas (Greek, five, referring to the floral parts) Rubiaceae. Tender herbs and subshrubs, resembling bouvardias and of the same family, grown under glass for the lilac or white bloom. Herbs or subshrubs, erect or prostrate, hispid or tomentose: lvs. opposite, stalked, usually ovate or ovate-lanceolate; stipules multifid or multi-setose: infl. usually corymbose; calyx-lobes 4-6. unequal; corolla pilose, the long tube dilated and villous in the throat; lobes valvate; stamens 4-6, inserted below the throat; filaments short or long; anthers fixed at the back, included or exserted; disk tumid or annular, often produced into a cone after anthesis; ovary 2-loculed; ovules numerous; style-branches papillose: caps, membranous or leathery, 2-loculea, loculicidal; seeds minute.—There are about 30 known species in Trop. and S. Afr.. including Madagascar. Only one is well known in cult., whose color varieties range through lilac and flesh-color to crimson-pink and rosy purple. A good cluster is 3 in. across and contains 20 or more fls., each of which is 1/2in. across. The fls. are about 3/4in. long, funnel-shaped, and usually have 5 spreading lobes, sometimes 4 or 6. It is mostly grown like bouvardia in warm conservatories for winter bloom, but it is some- times used for bedding in warmer countries, as it gives 3 months of rather showy bloom when treated like lantana. In general, the species seem to be less worthy than bouvardias. The pentas may be propagated from February to the middle of April. Choose cuttings of half-matured wood and place in a warm propagating-bed; by keeping moist and shaded they will root. Before they have made too long roots, lift and transfer into small pots. They like a sandy open mixture, as of loam, peat, and sand in equal parts for the first potting. Place where they may have shade until well started, when they should have sun. In their growing season, which is from the end of January until autumn, they should have a temperature of 60° to 65° at night with 10° to 15° rise during the day with sun. Keep the young^ plants vigorous by giving larger pots until they are in 6- to 8-inch pots. For a compost give them fibrous loam four parts, fibry peat one part, well-decayed cow-manure one part, and enough sand to keep it open. Always give plenty of drainage in the pots, and pot moderately firm. In the spring and summer they will require plenty of water. In the hot days of summer give daily syringing, getting well under the foliage. As they grow, tie the branches out horizontally; they then will break away into a number of growths which will make headway for flowers in autumn. If they show bloom before this time, pinch the flowers out. When the pots become well supplied with roots, give liquid feed once a week. The flowers are very useful for cutting. The care in winter should require a lower temperature; they do well in 55° to 58° at night, with about 10° more with sunshine. Give enough water to keep them in good health and a good syringing now and then. After January, they may have any necessary repotting, such as renewing the old compost with a good rich material and growing on as treated the preceding spring and summer with the exception of cutting back the shoots well. (J. J. M. Farrell.) CH
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Cultivation
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Species
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References
- Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
