Attractive ornamental

A NATIVE of tropical Africa and Madagascar, the Pentas is an attractive shrub. This is because it features prominently in gardens and is a popular potted plant.

Of the family Rubiaceae, the genus Pentas has about 34 species distributed all over the world. Of them, Pentas lanceolata is the most popular as it has brilliantly hued floral bunches. The plant has white, pink, caramine-rose petals with throat tinted violet, scarlet, blue and bright red varieties.

The Pentas is a bushy shrub growing to a height of about 90 cm. The leaves are opposite, slightly hairy, lanceolate, 11 cm long and four cm wide with sunken nerves. The internodes are about six and seven cm long. The plant produces lovely blossoms almost throughout the year at the apex of branchlets in condensed corymbose cymes. The numerous, brilliantly hued, star-like flowers amid lushgreen foliage makes the plant all the more attractive.

The plant can be propagated in a shaded area with woody stem cuttings. The cuttings are initially raised in polythene bags of 25 x 13 cm in a base of cowdung, river sand and redsoil in the proportion of 1:1:1. Once established, they should be transplanted to an area that is well lit. Brilliant blossoms appear within a few months. Regular pruning, preferably after flowering, keeps the plant in good condition. It is seldom troubled by pests and affected by diseases.

A. K. PRADEEP

SANTHOSH NAMPY

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