Pentas (Pentas lanceolata) are also called Egyptian stars for the bloom’s five-pointed shape. The plant is a shrub that gets up to 6 feet (2 m.) tall and 3 feet (1 m.) wide. It is a scrubby plant with an unruly shape, sporting oval to spear-shaped foliage. The flowers are generally pink, red, or white but new cultivars have introduced tones of purple and lavender and mixed blooms such as pink with red centers.

These plants grow fairly slow and are commonly found as container or bedding plants. Pentas plant care is similar to any warm season perennial. They are not prone to many diseases and the main pest problem is spider mites.

Care:

Pentas are pretty low-maintenance and are easy to grow in any garden setting. Newer varieties have improved disease resistance, have more compact habits, and boast new variations of colors to choose from. While pentas don't face many problems with disease, the biggest issue can be aphids or spider mites. Keep an eye out for these (especially in the heat of the summer) and be sure to take care of them at the first signs of a problem.