Pentas is one of the rare representatives of the plant kingdom, willing to delight the owners with flowers in the most cloudy months - from October to February. During this period, any greenery, any leaf or flower gives great joy, even if it grows only on the windowsill. It is impossible to indifferently gaze at the fluffy hat of the pentas, which is strewn with bright five-pointed stars. And more than one gardener fell in love with this plant because its flowers flash like New Year's lights in our gloomy rooms and help us forget a little about sadness in anticipation of spring.
In indoor greenhouses, they call him a bouquet in a pot, and also an Egyptian star. And I fully support such names, because only one flowerpot with this wonderful flower can dispel the boring monotony of everyday life and cheer up. The inflorescences of the pentas seem to have absorbed the entire color spectrum - we can admire the tints of milky, white, lilac, pink, flesh, red, crimson colors. There are several peculiarities in caring for this handsome man. Here I am going to tell you about them.
Care and growing pentas at home
In indoor floriculture, the most popular is the lanceolate pentas. It is this species that is often taken as the basis for breeding hybrids with amazing colors. It often happens that you have sown seeds of the same shade, and the offspring have grown in all the colors of the rainbow. Interesting? Then go ahead!
During the season, the pentas blooms several times. New flower growers may think that the plant simply stops forming flowers for a while, but this process is natural. In fact, the host can only directly influence the flowering duration. Feeding the plant increases this period, and if you stop applying fertilizers, the pentas will get the opportunity to rest. My advice: don't get carried away with feeding. If you notice that the flower is already "tired" of blooming, give it time to rest, the next wave will be even more magnificent.
Location and lighting
Our handsome man prefers a southern window and the sun's rays. However, remember, you cannot immediately put a flower where there is a lot of light. Better to teach gradually, without unnecessary burns. In summer, the window must be shaded, otherwise the leaves may burn. If you have a private house, be sure to transfer the plant to the garden, if a high-rise building - to a loggia or balcony. When these options are not available, ventilate the room more often. Pentas tolerates drafts well.
Temperature
It is better to keep its indicators in the range of 20-25 ° С, in a hotter environment the leaves will wither, and the stems will begin to stretch and lose stability.
Watering
If you aim to admire the blooming pentas in a flowerpot by summer, watering should be increased already in spring. We take water at room temperature and settled. Be sure to add a complex mineral composition for flowering, where there is a lot of phosphorus - this will stimulate the formation of buds. In autumn and winter, water should be sparingly, but not infrequently, since overdrying the soil leads to yellowing of the leaves.
Air humidity
The humidity mode should be about 60% - agree, this is a lot. But moisture is very important for the pentas. Spraying the foliage helps a lot, however, it is better not to wet the inflorescences. The best option may be a pallet where expanded clay or moss is laid out - and the bottom should not come into contact with water. Such a "system" will make it possible to provide the plant with a moist environment.
Transfer
When growing pentas, get ready for frequent transplants, the flower loves them very much. The plant actively forms young shoots, which quickly take root, and it becomes cramped in the pot. Young pentas are transplanted once a year, and the "oldies" can change their place of residence less often - once every two years. True, if you develop the habit of rejuvenating the flower annually or after a year, the need to transplant the plant will disappear.
Priming
When choosing a soil for pentas, take a composition for decorative deciduous plants. The flower grows well in fertile soil, but it will not please you if there is an increased level of salt in the soil.
Bush formation
You have already seen that the pentas is not difficult to clean. It is much more problematic to monitor not his physical condition, but his aesthetic appearance: he either stretches, then grows in the wrong place, then wants to crawl to the side. If you notice such "unnecessary" movements, it is time to pinch the flower. To make the bush look neat, constantly cut off the shoots - somewhere at a height of 40-50 cm - otherwise the plant will look unassembled and lose some of its beauty. Important: we carry out pinching only in the intervals between flowering periods!
Reproduction of pentas
Many gardeners claim that the pentas is an annual. This will be true if you do not cut the elongated stems - so the plant constantly needs to be rejuvenated. After two or three years, the bushes lose their appearance and disintegrate, so take care of spare cuttings or buy seeds. As I already mentioned, pentas can form buds and flowers in the summer. But it is better to force a houseplant to develop according to the classical rules. It is not necessary for the flower to establish its own rules, let it bloom in the winter months, and rest in the summer. But the bright Egyptian stars in the flowerbed are another matter! This is a wonderful decoration for a summer garden.
For open space, it is better to breed pentas with seeds (through seedlings). The plant is actively growing and in May it can already be planted in a flower bed. A flower for a room greenhouse is propagated by cuttings. For rooting, they are immersed in water or directly into the ground, if desired.
Dormant period
Resting a plant is a rather difficult question, since a plant needs a cool place, but where can one find it in summer? At the end of winter, as the pentas fades, I pinch the stems, cut the buds and transfer them to the coolest room - the cellar. I water it occasionally, just so that the soil does not dry out. In August, I take out a flowerpot, change the soil and slowly make me get used to the sun - I start from the northern window. I moisturize more abundantly. In September-October, the plant grows green and vigor for flowering, and in November it becomes covered with shining stars.
This is basic. I would be glad if my experience in breeding pentas is useful to you!
