Starla Red Star Flower
Pentas lanceolata 'Starla Red'
Height: 16 inches
Spacing: 12 inches
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: (annual)
Other Names: Egyptian Star Flower, Star Cluster, Starflower
Group/Class: Starla Series
Ornamental Features
Starla Red Star Flower features showy corymbs of red star-shaped flowers at the ends of the stems from late spring to early fall. Its large textured pointy leaves remain forest green in color throughout the year.
Landscape Attributes
Starla Red Star Flower is an herbaceous annual with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other garden plants with finer foliage.
This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and can be pruned at anytime. It is a good choice for attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;
- Insects
Starla Red Star Flower is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Mass Planting
- General Garden Use
- Groundcover
- Container Planting
Planting & Growing
Starla Red Star Flower will grow to be about 16 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 16 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 12 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. Although it's not a true annual, this fast-growing plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.
This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by cuttings; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.
Starla Red Star Flower is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.