Pentas, a birthday flower of June 26th

Pentas, also known as Egyptian Star Cluster in English and Kusasantanka 草山丹花 in Japanese, is one of the birthday flowers of June 26th annually. It is also the birthday flower of September 16th and November 5th.

It is one of Japan's most reliable summer-to-autumn bloomers and, unlike some birthday flowers, they are actually in bloom on the birthday they represent.  You can already see them in bloom in many places around Japan at the moment. They typically bloom from May to October. Their neat clusters of star shaped flowers brighten parks, walkways and gardens across the country.

Pentas come in shades of pink, red, purple and white. Their color stays vivid despite the heat. In the Japanese language of flowers, "hanakotoba", they represent "hope filled" and a "hope comes true". 

Have you seen any Pentas flowers yet this year?