Propagating Pentas

This morning at 82 deg F (27 deg C) with breeze, a beautiful time in the garden. I took James Missier's advice "plant short cutting with 2 nodes in the soil and the crown at surface". Firstly, what is 2 nodes? That prompted me to know more on anatomy of a plant. Wikipedia has a better illustration of a plant stem. At top of a stem is divided into a few 'nodes', usually a pair. Each 'node' holds an inflorescence (or cluster) of buds sometimes a pair of leaves instead. I think Mother nature has a wonderful way of dividing weight of each bract of buds/flowers in stable manner (fork-like) and branching on each stem encourages more inflorescence. In the end, you'll see the main stem branched out to a few new stems then compounding pairs of nodes carrying clusters of tiny Egyptian stars.

1st pic showing 2 plants, one had succumbed to aphids, the other hanging tough. I tried pesticides and heavy pruning when I spotted the weak plants mid-Sept. Leaves turned yellow with red tip and reddish veins. 2nd pic for illustration only, that stem was spared has it has new buds on it. Next pic showing 4 trimmed Egyptian stars (Pentas Lanceolata) in a pot, now placed at the nursing bay in shade to root with daily light watering for the whole week.

This is my 2nd attempt in propagating Pentas *fingers crossed*.

Happy Deepavali !!

Update Oct-20: 3 days since potting. Leaves looks good :)

Evergreen shrub tiny blooms

Pentas are wonderful bloomers in any weather. Grows lots of leaves and clusters of flowers, easy maintenance shrub - require no deadheading.









A close up on its cluster; 70% bloomed and rest are buds.














A close up on a few clusters; (left) pinkish buds soon to bloom in 2-3 days, (center bottom) budding soon, next to a cluster of recently finished blooms. (Right) not-yet-buds forming, as green as its leaves.














Lastly a close up of its cluster with finished blooms that fell up 2 days ago. Looks like seeds to me, don't you think so?

Seedlings & Growths

2 months later, Medallions (Butter Daisy) seedlings germinated from dead blooms - easy to grow.

We didn't plant these following our landscape maintenance's advice; that it may not last as long as the Zinnias and Marigolds. She was right but she hadn't mention about germination much easier than those in the flowerbed!

Darling Pentas (Egyptian Stars clusters) had grown bushier with more, and more non-stop blooms. I'll recommended these instead of the Lantanas any time!

4 months now, (see http://jaimeboey.blogspot.com/2009/03/pretty-blooms.html ) .. it has been a gradual slow growth for these seedlings while I patiently wait. Pic left, Madagascar Periwinkle. Pic right, Yellow Turnera.

Frightfully Hot, Rainless in Kemuning

We've endured 3 - 4 weeks of glaring sun in clear skies, under the blazing heat and by night, we're steaming after a good cold bath!

7-Day Weather Outlook in Selangor - isolated showers possibly rainless http://www.met.gov.my/htdocs2/data/S007E.html

Earthquake (magnitude 5.1 Richter) in Philippines on May-13 http://www.kjc.gov.my/home_e.html

On Labours holiday, we did some sightseeing of neighbouring gardens for ideas. Inspired to give our Lantanas a clean-look, we bought cane-sticks, 3' tall, from One-Stop. Easy fit into the ground as compared to the foldable plant support (see periwinkle).
Improvised with raffia string, I've gathered the Lantanas and achieved the neat-tall-look. Some pruning and adjusting for unimpeded growths & blooms.

Update May-19,'09: Wrote description as 'Spreading Sunset' in http://jaimeboey.blogspot.com/2009/01/as-iridescent-as-prism-in-morning-room.html also known as Horrida (native Lantana) can grow to form a shrub 8-feet tall and nearly as wide.

We also bought 2 pots of Pentas Lanceolata or Egyptian Star Cluster (Rubiaceae) was featured as Plant of the Week June 20-26, 2008 www.plantoftheweek.org/week465.shtml. Pentas adds colour-variety amongst Lantanas with similar growing habit - both known to be thriving in hot weather, between 32°-38°C (considered as landscape perennial shrub) and grows up to 2'-3' tall, spreads 14"-18" wide.

Right now its 2' shorter than Lantanas, is already so bushy and flowering profusely in huge clusters - I just can't wait for it grow into a shrub. Did you notice that both Pentas aren't the same? Flowers with white in the middle, the other has purplish or bluish center instead. These Pentas took a slimmer Lantanas spot which relocated next to its buddy-Lantana, combined size and sharing a cane-stick. Recommended watering at the base of the plant, just above the soil, or you could loose some flowers. Water once a day is sufficient, allow water to soak in soil before second round of watering. http://www.webindia123.com/garden/flowers/pentas.htmhttp://herselfshoustongarden.com/2007/09/egyptian-star-cluster-pentas.html

Pentas prefer a soil pH of 7, gardeners recommend adding lime annually to encourage profuse flowering. Propagate through stem cutting. Excessive drought and watering will cause severe yellowing and necrosis.

Update May-19,'09: Similar variety called 'Nova,' is a Georgia Gold Medal winner for 1999. Great for a Butterfly garden http://www.greenbeampro.com/content/view/1458/205/

Also a retired horticulturist recommends planting Pentas with Lantanas http://www.plantanswers.com/calvin_finch_articles/Plants_to_Attract_Butterflies.htm

We brought home from a nursery along Jalan Hicom, a pot of Desert Rose (Adenium obesum) and 3 pots of Melampodium paludosum (Gold Medallion or Butter Daisy).

Since Desert Rose known to take a good deal of neglect, I shall do so!

For maximum growth and flowering; 1) plant terracotta pot in well drained soil and 2) lots of fertilizer. http://mgonline.com/desertrose.html

By end of May, I envisioned a flower-bed on ground, in the front garden, filled with Thiam's favourite yellows; Medallions or Butter Daisy (pic below). It makes a fuss-free flower-bed because 1) profuse flowering 2) less than a foot tall, 3) sun-loving, 4) no deadheading.

Nursery caretaker recommends to avoid the flowers when watering. http://www.phillipoliver.net/melampodium.htm

Our new garden-additions proved to withstand the frightful heat & high humidity, showed signs of growth after a week since transplant. I had to restrain myself from over-watering. I could feel the vapours from the water hose the whole time after sunset. End of the evening-garden-ritual, I looked as if I've ran a 1km marathon!