Pentas lanceolata, known as Egyptian starcluster, is a species of flowering plant in the madder family Rubiaceae, native to much of Africa as well as Yemen. It is known for its wide use as a garden plant where it often accompanies butterfly gardens.
Pentas lanceolata is a tropical woody-based perennial or subshrub that grows 3-6’ tall in its native habitat, but more typically to 1-2’ tall in beds or containers in the St. Louis area. It is a many-branched, somewhat sprawling plant that features 4” wide rounded clusters (corymbs) of star-shaped flowers over a long summer to frost bloom. Elliptic to lanceolate dark green leaves (to 6” long). Flowers are pink, magenta, lilac or less commonly white. Genus name comes from the Greek word pentas meaning a series of five with reference to the flower parts being in fives instead of fours as in related genera. Specific epithet means lance- or spear-shaped.
