New Pentas

Pentas has been around for a long time, but we have only placed it in active production the past couple of years. New genetics have greatly improved the flower performance with larger flower heads and a longer season of color—the better cultivars can keep a constant show of blooms all summer without the need to deadhead them. This year we have added the Butterfly Series to our collection, available in four colors: red, deep pink, lavender and white.

Deep Pink

The new Butterfly Pentas is an especially good choice for landscape color—it grows fast and finishes fuller and larger as well. A single plant might produce as many as 15 to 20 flower clusters at one time, and the blooms keep coming until the first frost of autumn. Butterfly Pentas also thrives in the August heat and humidity—the Louisiana Trial Gardens at LSU voted it as a reliable summer bedding plant. That’s durable summer color in our book.

Lavender

Butterfly Pentas are shorter and more compact than earlier varieties, reaching about 18 to 24 inches in height. They are vertical plants, so space them about 12 to 16 inches apart in a landscape bed. Once established, they can handle summer dry spells as well. These are sun plants with some tolerance for light shade.

Red

In containers, use Butterfly Pentas as a thriller, adding color to the top and center of the design. If you are looking to mix Pentas with other crops, consider combining it with Profusion Zinnias, Pennisetum grasses, some Lantanas or Serena Angelonia. As an added bonus, Butterfly Pentas is especially attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds. Plants are nectar-rich feeding stations, so they attract a lot of visitors.

White

We are growing Butterfly Pentas in 6-inch pots this year, and plants will be available throughout May as long as our inventory lasts.