Bigred, Hello! I am not new to GW, but haven't been able to trade seeds in a couple of years. I would very much like to get back into sowing seeds. I plan on mainly xeriscape plants, as I am in TX and it gets so hot here! If you have these seeds available, I would be very greatful to send you the SASBE for them. Allium,purple drumstick,H,'06(1)easy from seed.** Callirhoe involucrata,winecups,rock garden,H,7/17/07** Coreopsis"Sunburst",C,'06 ** Dianthus deltoides"Flashing Lights"tight,spreading mats of tiny dark green leaves w/ tiny brilliant pink flowers on long stems,early spring, rock garden,H,5/07** Echinacea"Doppleganger"H,9/06 ** Ipomopsis rubra,Standing Cypress,hummingbird plant,H,7/07** Pardancanda norrisii,Candylily mix of red w/spots and yellow/orange w/red edges,H,'06** Penstemon tenuis,Gulfcoast Beardtongue,H,718/07 ** Scutellaira incana,Hoary Skullcap,H,'05(5) ** My email address is earthtiller@sbcglobal.net Thank you! Necia

Thanx for posting that pic. That's what mine is . . . and it, indeed, did RETURN. I didn't cut it back last fall -- well, it was really winter. On December 17, it was about 65 degrees and everything was blooming -- petunias/lantana's, etc. The next day, it started to snow, and three days later, we had over 2-3 feet with drifting and below zero temps. Who had time to cut back???? After everthing finally melted, I just left it, but cut it back to the ground this spring -- whenever spring was around here. What a peculiar winter! I started to dig it up, but figured it was too much trouble, and the next thing you know, it's about three foot across covered in blooms. I am just amazed (and thrilled!) I had purchased another one and planted it near the same site -- well, that was wasted $$$'s, but we'll see what happens to that lil' guy. What fun to find surprises like that!

I think lantana montevidensis (which is a more trailing form, and comes in purple or white) does fairly well in shade. I have some in my azalea bed that gets almost no sun at all, and it has always done well. Lantana camara, on the other hand, (most of the yellows, oranges, pinks) prefers lots of sun. Marcia

Lantana 'Miss Huff' and other Lantana cultivars are root hardy for me and many of my neighbors, Freezing temperatures will kill all or most of the above ground stems, but they generate new growth rapidly in the spring. I don't remove the bare stems until new growth appears in the spring. They can be an eyesore during the winter, but cutting the hollow stems can allow water to enter, then freeze and kill the crown & roots. If you must remove the bare stems for appearance purposes, it would be advisable to cover the plant with a waterproof material and then a mulch. I would wait until spring to purchase one. It will then have an entire growing season to become established and then harden off for the upcoming winter. Lantana's are available in many sizes at nurseries in my area, from 4" pots, up to 3-5 gallon sizes, at nurseries catering to the landscape trade. A one gallon size should reach mature size by it's second or third year and then began to spread laterally, which, if unchecked, will form a HUGE plant. They require lots of direct sunlight to grow and bloom well and once established, are extremely drought tolerant. I didn't water mine during two consecutive years of severe and exceptional drought and they didn't appear to notice. Some other attractive cultivars that are readily available, are: 'Dallas Red', 'New Gold' & 'Pink Caprice', plus others, depending upon locale.