Pentas lanceolata Northern Lights Lavender seeds - Egyptian star

Pentas lanceolata Northern Lights Lavender is a tropical perennial typically grown as an annual in our temperate climates. It forms a compact dome that begins its long flowering period from May. Clusters of small star-shaped flowers in a delightful lavender mauve then adorn the dark green foliage, creating a perfect picture. Blooming continuously throughout the growing season, especially if spent flowers are regularly removed, the inflorescences flourish until early autumn. This easy-to-grow undershrub adapts perfectly to container cultivation, allowing it to be sheltered from frost in winter to enjoy again the following year. It can also be planted in beds as an annual, where it will attract butterflies.

Pentas belongs to the large Rubiaceae family, comprising 600 genera and over 10,000 species! This cosmopolitan family includes all types of vegetation—trees, shrubs, climbers, herbaceous plants—with some genera having economic importance (Coffee plant) while others are valued ornamentally, like the enchanting fragrant Gardenia or the surprising Cephalanthus, which deserves to be better known.
The Pentas genus includes around forty species found in tropical Africa, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula. These are shrubs or herbaceous plants, mainly perennial and more rarely biennial. Pentas lanceolata (synonym Ophiorrhiza lanceolata) is commonly called Egyptian Star. It grows naturally in the Arabian Peninsula, the Comoros, and from Ethiopia to Mozambique, at altitudes ranging from sea level to 700m. It is found in savannah areas as well as wooded environments, forming perennial clumps about fifty centimetres high, flowering almost year-round.
The 'Northern Lights Lavender' variety is a horticultural selection with attractive ornamental qualities and notably better tolerance to cool temperatures, allowing its distribution across a wider area. The plant remains somewhat frost-tender, enduring only brief frosts around -3°C, which explains why it is mainly used as an annual. This Pentas forms a regular dome approximately 40-50cm high and 50-60cm wide, with a dense habit enhanced by regular pinching to encourage branching. Its lanceolate foliage, consisting of leaves which are very tapered at the tip, measuring approximately 6-8cm long by 2.5-3cm wide, is a darker green than the botanical species. This further highlights the flowering by providing a dark background.
By sowing seeds as early as January in a heated shelter, you can obtain young plants that begin to flower in May. The plant then forms inflorescences called cymes, grouping several dozen star-shaped flowers with 5 petals, measuring 8-10mm in diameter. In this variety, they take on a beautiful lavender mauve colour. It will flower continuously until September or even October, new inflorescences developing before the previous ones completely fade, maintaining an always interesting decorative appearance. However, it is advisable to remove spent flowers to aid renewal. At the end of the season, shelter the plant in a similar way to a Pelargonium to overwinter it and enjoy it again the following season. You can then keep it for 3 to 4 years.

Pentas Northern Lights Lavender seeds will allow you to ensure, easily and at low cost, original and very aesthetic flowering throughout the growing season. The Northern Lights range has been specially developed to adapt to temperate, sometimes cool climates, but temperatures below 10°C will prevent the flowers from opening. Beneficial to pollinators, this Pentas enjoys full sun. You can create beautiful flowering pots to decorate your terrace, and pair it with Gazania, another flowering champion whose large daisy-like flowers will create an interesting contrast with the small lavender stars. In the same vein, the charming Anthemis will also allow you to create beautiful scenes.