Give Wildlife and Your Garden a Colorful Boost With Lantana Plant
Bright blossoms attract birds, bees and butterflies throughout the warm season
Noelle Johnson
August 11, 2017
For those of us who love a powerful color statement, lantana is hard to beat. The lush green foliage of lantana is covered with clusters of tiny, vibrant flowers in spring through early fall, attracting bees, birds, butterflies and hummingbirds. A perennial in USDA Zone 8 and above, lantana is treated as an annual in colder zones. It is drought-tolerant and thrives in full sun, attracting pollinators while keeping deer and rabbits away. There are several species that work well in the landscape, so whether you are looking for a colorful ground cover, shrub or container plant, lantana can fill your landscape needs.
Caution: Lantana is considered an invasive species in regions with warm, humid climates, such as Hawaii and the southeastern U.S. It is best used in drier regions or in areas that experience cold winters, where its spread is largely prevented. Also, lantana is toxic to cats, dogs and livestock.
Caution: Lantana is considered an invasive species in regions with warm, humid climates, such as Hawaii and the southeastern U.S. It is best used in drier regions or in areas that experience cold winters, where its spread is largely prevented. Also, lantana is toxic to cats, dogs and livestock.
Lantana camara ‘Radiation’ has magenta, red, yellow and orange flowers.
Botanical name: Lantana spp.
Common name: Lantana
Origin: Native to Central and South America
Where it will grow: Root-hardy to 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 12.2 to minus 6.7 degrees Celsius (USDA zones 8 to 9; find your zone), depending on the species
Water requirement: Moderate; looks best when watered deeply once or twice a week in spring and summer and every 10 to 14 days in winter (in frost-free zones); in desert regions, water two or three times a week in spring and fall
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 18 inches to 5 feet tall and 2 to 5 feet wide, depending on the species
Benefits and tolerances: Semi-drought-tolerant once established; resistant to deer and rabbits; attracts bees, birds, hummingbirds and butterflies
Seasonal interest: Clusters of colorful flowers appear in spring and fall
When to plant: In spring or summer from cuttings or transplants
Botanical name: Lantana spp.
Common name: Lantana
Origin: Native to Central and South America
Where it will grow: Root-hardy to 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 12.2 to minus 6.7 degrees Celsius (USDA zones 8 to 9; find your zone), depending on the species
Water requirement: Moderate; looks best when watered deeply once or twice a week in spring and summer and every 10 to 14 days in winter (in frost-free zones); in desert regions, water two or three times a week in spring and fall
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 18 inches to 5 feet tall and 2 to 5 feet wide, depending on the species
Benefits and tolerances: Semi-drought-tolerant once established; resistant to deer and rabbits; attracts bees, birds, hummingbirds and butterflies
Seasonal interest: Clusters of colorful flowers appear in spring and fall
When to plant: In spring or summer from cuttings or transplants
A pair of ‘Radiation’ lantana shrubs adds colorful interest to an Arizona landscape.
Distinguishing traits. The lush green foliage of lantana has a slightly rough texture, with finely toothed edges. Evergreen in frost-free regions, lantana dies down to the ground in freezing temperatures, only to grow back quickly in spring.
The blooms of lantana are made up of tiny flowers arranged in clusters called umbels. Depending on the species, the flowers are either uniform in color or multicolored. Flowering is almost always continuous in Zone 10 and above. Poisonous berries are produced as the flowers fade.
Distinguishing traits. The lush green foliage of lantana has a slightly rough texture, with finely toothed edges. Evergreen in frost-free regions, lantana dies down to the ground in freezing temperatures, only to grow back quickly in spring.
The blooms of lantana are made up of tiny flowers arranged in clusters called umbels. Depending on the species, the flowers are either uniform in color or multicolored. Flowering is almost always continuous in Zone 10 and above. Poisonous berries are produced as the flowers fade.
There are three popular types of lantana that are commonly used in the landscape.
‘New Gold’ lantana (L. ‘New Gold’) has vibrant yellow flowers and a low, mounding growth habit. It reaches 18 to 24 inches in height and up to 3 feet wide.
‘New Gold’ lantana (L. ‘New Gold’) has vibrant yellow flowers and a low, mounding growth habit. It reaches 18 to 24 inches in height and up to 3 feet wide.
Trailing lantana (L. montevidensis) is available in purple or white varieties and works well as a ground cover. It grows 1 foot to 2 feet high and 3 feet wide. In this photo we see it growing alongside Parry’s penstemon (Penstemon parryi, Zone 8)
Shrub lantana (L. camara) is the largest of the three profiled species, growing 3 to 5 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide. The leaves of this species are larger than those of the other two, as are its stems. It is also the most colorful, with multicolored blossoms that vary according to the variety. Choices include ‘Confetti’, shown here, with pink-and-yellow blossoms; ‘Dallas Red’, with red, yellow and orange; and ‘Radiation’, with its blend of magenta, red, yellow and orange.
How to use it. Group lantana plants where their floral display can make a stunning colorful statement. Shrub lantana can be used to create a low, informal hedge along a property line or as a foundation planting next to a house.
All lantanas are suitable for growing next to pools, in courtyards or on patios, as they are relatively low-litter. For a striking contrast of texture, add lantana alongside cactuses and other succulents. For a more formal use, plant ‘New Gold’ lantana along the edges of a driveway or pathway.
Add lantana around boulders where it can spill over, creating a lovely, informal design.
All lantanas are suitable for growing next to pools, in courtyards or on patios, as they are relatively low-litter. For a striking contrast of texture, add lantana alongside cactuses and other succulents. For a more formal use, plant ‘New Gold’ lantana along the edges of a driveway or pathway.
Add lantana around boulders where it can spill over, creating a lovely, informal design.
Lantana makes an excellent container plant by itself or combined with other plants. Here it’s planted with pink dahlias and zinnias.
Browse outdoor pots and planters
Browse outdoor pots and planters
When grown as an annual, lantana can be used in flower beds or containers, or as a colorful accent plant in perennial beds.
Create a Container Wildlife Habitat for Hummingbirds and Butterflies
Create a Container Wildlife Habitat for Hummingbirds and Butterflies
Planting notes. Lantana is easy to grow and does best in well-drained soil in full sun. Fertilize once a year in spring using a fertilizer that is low in nitrogen, as too much nitrogen will decrease flowering.
The Lavender Swirl variety of trailing lantana (L. sellowiana ‘Monswee’) produces both purple and white flowers.
Maintaining lantana consists of pruning it back severely in spring, once the threat of frost has passed. Throughout the growing season, you can cut it back to half its size to keep it attractive. Toward the end of summer and into early fall, you should prune your lantana for the last time that year no later than eight weeks before the average frost date.
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Maintaining lantana consists of pruning it back severely in spring, once the threat of frost has passed. Throughout the growing season, you can cut it back to half its size to keep it attractive. Toward the end of summer and into early fall, you should prune your lantana for the last time that year no later than eight weeks before the average frost date.
More
8 Drought-Tolerant Borders Bursting With Color
See more colorful flowers on Houzz
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Lantana has been one of my “go-to” plants in Texas. I’ve lived in Texas almost 40-years and I’ve lived in the Dallas & San Antonio areas. I discovered Lantana at a garden center near my home. Coming from the southeastern part of the US, I’d never seen it. It was so beautiful, though it smells awful! My favorite is the multi colored flowers sometimes called circus or carnival. I’ll be replacing a couple of bushes that just got old and died this summer. (I kept trying to coax them to bloom, but I think they’re spent!). Maybe I’ll try a different color... or a trailing type rather than the bush. I’m also thinking of planting some at our Mississippi cabin along the hillside. Ready to fall garden!