Among the best summer flowers are pentas plants, or Pentas lanceolata, charming shrubs with clusters of blooms that often grow in pink, red and white. They're native to tropical climates ...

Pentas are fairly slow growing plants, so be patient. But, an added plus is they are not prone to many diseases or pests, other than spider mites or the tomato hornworm, which can be devastating ...

The blossoms of few plants – if any – are as alluring to butterflies and hummingbirds as those of pentas (P. lanceolata), a bushy, evergreen perennial.