I haven't tried cuttings but I'd like to use seeds so that I could get a different colours of the flower because mine is just yellow. Should I use seed starting soil pellets? Because 5 of the seeds I have planted haven't sprouted since

Hi Sonia,

First of all, Lantana seeds are very hard and practically impervious to moisture. I have always found it hard to germinate Lantana seeds. The trick is to scarify the seeds by nicking them deeply or even slightly cracking the seed coat. I had my first success after cracking a few seeds by squeezing them in a vise :-) The seeds are also rather slow to germinate, usually between one and two months.

Hope this helps,

Art

I have never found a lantana here of the ones that I grow that did not go through a winter before germinating...probably a result of that impervious to moisture seed coat referenced above.

Thanks for the tip Art, I'll try that next time! :)

Hi Sonia

I was thinking about growing Lantana in my garden until I read up on it. It's extremely invasive and one plant can produce something like 1200 seeds. There are other negative things about it which you should read up on before deciding to plant it in your garden. Just giving a heads up on it.

I am zone 7a and although Lantana can be invasive in Florida, Texas and other gulf coast states and can be perennial as far North as zone 8, it is not here-wish it were more persistent. I usually have a volunteer or two, but nothing like an invasion unless you count the butterflies that dance in attendance all summer.
I have never had difficulty starting the seeds on a heat mat in February for summer bloom, but if you had only one variety with yellow blooms and no others to pollinate you will probably not get the rainbow of colors you seek. My experience has been that saved seeds yield plants that bloom in colors very similar to the plants you collected them from, even the hybrids. Yellow hybrid's seeds tend to produce plants that bloom in shades of yellow, often with white. The chief difference in the seed grown plants from the parents seems to be in habit. They are often more rangy and taller than the hybrid plant they are derived from. Germination can be erratic and just when you think all of the seeds that are going to germinate have, another one or two will surprise you.
If you have one of the species other than camara then you will almost certainly have plants that are the same color flowers you started with. Lantana. horrida will be yellow and orange, Lantana montevidensis will be lavender, etc.

Does the 26 degree soil have to be in the ground? Pots? Cups?

My Lantana seeds have sprouted , but the sprouts dont seem to grow after sitting a few weeks. They look green & healthy, but havent gotten taller or developed. Any idea on what can be done to stimulate growth? I Keep them warm 70-75 degrees & in a sunny window most of the day !

Yes, they will be growing - you just can't see it yet. It will be growing a root system capable of supporting top growth. Plants don't really grow at a continuous rate - like all living things, they grow in fits and starts, affected by the environment, the daily care, their innate genetics...if they are green and healthy, no need to get unduly concerned.

Caveat - I have never grown lantana from seed so could be talking out of my a$$ - dare say others will chime in if this is the case.