I've always had them in full sun, and they thrive. Love Pentas!

I've only grown them in large pots, but they do like full sun. Everything I've read about them says at least 6 hours sun per day. They need good drainage, but they are not xeriscape plants. Water well, then let the soil dry before watering again.

Thanks to you both for replying and for the tips on growing. I'm a little late getting them in so am offering the shade of a small umbrella in the afternoon until they get established. I planted them because they are a favorite of butterflies, but then I remembered the butterfly enclosures at various zoos and parks where I had seen them growing were partially shaded with sort of a shade net at the top so that got me wondering.

Pentas will do fine in full sun and do well with a little shade. Heavy shade really diminishes blooming, in my experience. I have read that only the old tall Penta (lanceolata) are especially attractiive to butterflies, whereas the small, short hybrids are not. I have found that to be true in my garden beds so I only plant the tall old-fashioned Penta. I mulch them very heavily for winter protection and they have been root-hardy for me. I love them.

Molly

Molly, thank you for the information on the old-fashioned tall red pentas being the butterfly attractors. I wondered about that when I bought these short ones, but they were the only red pentas for sale so took a chance. I'll be on the lookout for tall ones next time I shop at a nursery.

Mine are in brutal sun and do well. In nurseries around here they are always in the full sun section. Some of mine even come back.

mindshift, how large were the pots u planted pentas in? i have two plants waiting and i'm considering what pot to use......thanks

zippity1, I don't have any planted this year, but the pot was about 20 inches across the top with 3 plants in it. IMO plants do better in larger pots because they don't get dry as quickly.

Ana, thank you for you advice and experience in growing Pentas.

Just came across this article that might be helpful to anyone else considering them: Pentas Come of Age. I saw some beautiful colors at HEB today, red, pink, white, and lavender.

Happy gardening!

"Moisture: Constantly moist. Not that you want to keep the plants wet all the time, but you certainly don’t want to let them get dry."

I can't believe you fell for them :D

Omar

Go to bed Omar. It's too late for you to be up ... ;-) We'll talk about this tomorrow.

:D

Omar

Omar, here are photos from last year of the red pentas in full sun where they did wonderfully well with very little supplemental irrigation after establishment.

But then ,,, it did rain - for a change! << That's almost poetic, eh? Somebody should write a song with those words along the lines of The Rain in Spain ...

Maybe if we keep singing -- it will keep raining! After all the Texas plains were once a part of 'New Spain' ... :-)

By God she's got it!

Omar