skip to main content

Is this Lantana native?

sowngrow (8a) G

12 years ago

I planted this lantana a few years ago, not realizing it may not be native to N. Texas, where I live. Since I planted it, I've got three others that have sprouted from birds sitting on my fence. Please help me determine whether it's native or not as I'll pull it out asap if it's not. I read non-native lantana has truncated leaves, but I honestly can't tell if these leaves are truncated or not. Thanks.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

sowngrow (8a) G
Original Author
12 years ago
Here's a better photo of the leaves. They look truncated to me, but I'm not certain.
User
12 years ago
Hello,
Don't know anything about lantanas but found this link. I'm guessing yours is not native because the flowers are all yellow?

Maybe this will help.

Here is a link that might be useful: texas lantana
Related Discussions
lantana?
Q
Comments (7)
The usual white and lavender trailing lantanas are not native, if that's what you are talking about. They do run kind of wild and rangy at times, but they aren't invasive. For my money, the gold mound yellow is prettier in many situations and easier to keep trim and tidy. And in my yard, butterflies are all over it. I say do what appeals to you. Just don't plant the big yellow & orange or pink and cream ones that spread into the wild. There are MANY varieties now that don't produce fruit for the birds to carry off and plant elsewhere. Good luck! Marcia
...See More
Hardy Lantanas
Q
Comments (12)
Mia, did you find that purple blooming one indoors with the annual types at TLC? I didn't shop in the annuals area inside to check at the Midnight Madness Sale. I think I'll stop back by there Sunday and see if they still have any. The name was changed to Lantana urticoides but I always have to look up the spelling for that. They just don't seem sell it anywhere, I have checked and checked. I might have to try seeds from Native American Seed. Sandy, I have a long 6 ft wide strip along the entire west side of my back yard where I have been digging out vinca major. This is where I want to plant the Lantana and aggressive is exactly what I do need in this situation because I want to out-aggress the remaining vinca that is on the neighbors side I can't take out. I am thinking of it as the Lantana vs. Vinca War, fighting thug with thug. The odds are in his favor on the vinca because he is in full shade and I am in sun and downhill and thats where the vinca is dead set on heading. I end up with ugly tangled vines that seem to grow 5 inches per day with wilted leaves every summer that I continually trip over. I have been whacking back any new vines every other week to keep it back since early spring. So the "thuggier" the better in this situation. This is the highest spot in my yard so its hot, dry and hard to keep watered. Lantana seemed perfect. Is that invasive one sold as L. horrida that you are talking about yellow/orange or is it the pink/yellow one? Some people call the pink/yellow blooming one L. horrida but its L. camara. Horrida is always orange and yellow. The wild Lantana camara one is considered noxious and invasive in some southern states, or so I read. Rae This post was edited by GreatPlains1 on Thu, Jul 4, 13 at 14:24
...See More
Lantana hardiness
Q
Comments (16)
Last year, L. horrida survived transplanting from gallon pot to landscape in NW Arkansas (6b) in October (should have planted it in spring for best hardiness...but I didn't have it then) and despite 3 polar vortex experiences....it survived and budded out as vigorously as it was in the pot this year. I expect good things of it in years to come. This particular plant was a cutting from one I'd had for 7 years or more at my house in NE Oklahoma (7a). I can't imagine Dallas having any issues with the native lantana...unless drainage issues.
...See More
lantana for sale????
Q
Comments (34)
Sure there's lantana for sale, especially at Bunnings here in Perth and other nurseries around. Mum's got a red one, a yellow one and a purple one. The purple one sprawls out under the frangipani, the yellow one is a hedge which grows in mostly shade and the red one sort of grows like a daisy, only with a 50cm radius to the amount it spans out. THEY certainly behave and at least no weeds grow up through the foliage. The purple one also keeps the grass at bay from the front garden bed. All these came from a nursery of some sort and were planted from pots. Also, they flower quite often, it ISN'T ugly and it doesn't stink, although it is a bummer retrieving a ball from the plant cos it has this small spurs on the branches which scratch. Ermm, besides that, lots of other people grow it around here. I've seen the red and yellow the most often, and there's a white in the next street, as well as a purple one which is grown sort of like our iceberg roses. However, just as a little experiment, I'll break a little bit of lantana off each plant and drop it out the front near the nature strip between the sidewalk and the wall out in full sun to see if they start growing. That way, we'll see if, here in Perth, the nursery grown varieties are safe. And where do these berries come from??? All our varieties DON'T produce berries, only these small green spike balls after the flowers have dropped off. Saintin
...See More
wantonamara Z8 CenTex
12 years ago
I have heard that L. horida who its supposed to be a native is not. It has just been introduced so long ago and naturalized that people think it is a native. Even the botanist disagree on this one. I am not saying it is or it is not , since I am no authorityÃ¢ÂÂ¦ I guess I am doing a "just saying" act..
bostedo: 8a tx-bp-dfw
12 years ago
Agree with adidas about the color. If they're not "fading" to orange, then almost certain l. camara or its hybrid. Not the almost sterile 'New Gold' either since you've already gotten several volunteers. Identifying by leaf shape seems tough with so many intentional/natural crosses. Photo shows leaf of l. urticoides (fka l. horrida) on the left and l. camara x 'New Gold' on the right... 'Dallas Red' is about the same. Maybe an expert could tell; but while this Texas lantana leaf looks a bit more ovate, there's so much minor variation in leaf shape on each plant, I'd certainly not be able to tell one from another in a random sample. Maybe there are more differences between the pure l. urticoides, l. camara, and l. montevidensis lines.

wantonamara, Could the question about l. urticoides being a "native" have more to do with its U.S. distribution? It is fairly distinct from the more tropical species in color and hardiness. Also, it has a long history of it being considered native to Texas and Mexico. However, the PLANTS database now shows it as being "native" from California to the Carolinas (skipping Georgia), which just seems wrong.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lantana urticoides native(?) status in PLANTS
dbarron
12 years ago
And given that things do reseed, it might be some degree 90% urticoides and 10% camara (back some generations), to give you color variation.
I tend to believe no lantana was probably native pre-european settlement, but I am certainly no authority on this matter.

In general, I think it provides nectar to hummingbirds and butterflies, and if not noticed to spread invasively, I'd say enjoy it (I do). It probably has less impact on the landscape than a yard full of dandelions (admittedly goldfinches LOVE those).
sowngrow (8a) G
Original Author
12 years ago
The flowers are yellow and orange. The lighting in the photo, wasn't great. Thank you all for your input. It's sincerely appreciated!

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Great Native Plant: Damianita

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Enjoy its masses of golden flowers as an easy-care ground cover or appreciate the aroma of this desert native's leaves

GARDENING GUIDES Garden-Friendly Native Alternatives to Overplanted Exotics

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

There are lots of gorgeous, wildlife-friendly native plants ready to make an appearance in your garden

GARDENING GUIDES These Hummingbird-Attracting Native Plants May Surprise You

By Susan J Tweit

These flowers, vines and shrubs offer shelter and food supplies that keep hummingbirds around longer

NATIVE PLANTS 10 Top Plants Native to the Desert Southwest

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Get a thriving garden despite unforgiving conditions with these tough, unthirsty, sun-loving beauties

GARDENING GUIDES Oh, Deer! 10 Native Flowers That Stand Up to the Herds

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Keeping a garden amid hungry deer can be hard, but these plants should fare well

GARDENING GUIDES Great Native Plant: Cleveland Sage

By Annie Thornton

Get a whiff of this salvia for a garden experience to remember. Oh, and you can almost forget about maintenance

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Woodland Garden Beauty Polystichum Acrostichoides

Eastern U.S. native Christmas fern is a living decoration in the winter woodland garden

GROUND COVERS Great Design Plant: Blackfoot Daisy for Prettier Dry Ground

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Don’t let its delicate looks fool you. This ground cover can survive extreme cold and heat, and with little water to boot

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Gaura Lindheimeri

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Delicate, butterfly-shaped flowers ‘float’ above the foliage of this lovely, drought-tolerant perennial

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Anise Hyssop Delights Licorice Lovers

By Pollination Press LLC

With its distinct scent and flower spikes, drought-tolerant Agastache foeniculum stirs interest among humans and winged creatures alike

Sponsored

Inspired Closets Columbus

Innovative & Creative Custom Closet Designer Servicing Franklin County

More Discussions

cold stratification?

1