Lantana

Prepared by Karen Russ, HGIC Horticulture Specialist, Clemson University. (New 04/04. Images added 09/07.)

HGIC 1177

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Lantana is commonly grown as a sun loving flowering annual in South Carolina. A few cultivars are reliably perennial throughout much of the state. More are perennial near the coast. All are tough, resilient plants that thrive in hot weather and bloom profusely from spring until frost.

Lantanas are very attractive to butterflies. This is 'Mozelle' lantana.
Karen Russ, ©2007 HGIC, Clemson Extension

Height/Spread

Some cultivars grow to as much as 5 to 6 feet tall, forming large, bushy mounds while others stay low and spreading, reaching up to 4 feet wide, but only 1 to 2 feet in height. Some cultivars are more compact.

Growth Rate

Lantanas generally grow rapidly. Some cultivars, such as 'Miss Huff', are extremely vigorous. If plants outgrow their assigned space, they tolerate trimming back well during the growing season.

Ornamental Features

Lantana is valued for its long season of reliable bloom. Many cultivars display multiple colors within each two inch wide disc shaped flower head. The flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds.

Foliage is coarse, lightly toothed and rough to the touch. Crushed leaves have a pungent scent, so you may want to locate where the plant it will not spread across walks if the odor offends you.

Landscape Use

Use lantana as annuals or perennials in flowerbeds or containers. Spreading cultivars are attractive as groundcovers or trailing over containers and walls.

Grow lantana in full sun. Lantana is tolerant of all soil types provided they are well drained and slightly acid. Lantana is tolerant to salt and is an excellent choice for plantings near the beach. Lantana prefers warm soil. Plant lantana in spring, at least 2 weeks after all danger of frost is past. Hardy lantanas will typically show no growth in the spring until soil and air temperatures are quite warm.

Maintenance

Water: Newly planted lantanas will need to be kept moist for the first few weeks until the roots have spread into the surrounding soil.

While established lantanas are drought tolerant, performance, bloom, and growth rate will be reduced if they are too dry for a long period. During their blooming period, give them a thorough watering once a week if they do not receive an inch of rain that week. Avoid overhead watering. Overly frequent overhead watering can make plant more susceptible to diseases and root rot.

Pruning: Prune lantana periodically during summer by lightly shearing the tip growth to encourage repeat blooming. Plants that have become too large for their allotted space may be pruned back by up to a third of their height and spread. Water and lightly fertilize newly cut back plants and they will return to bloom quickly.

Prune perennial lantanas back hard in spring to remove old growth and prevent woodiness. Cut back to about 6 to 12 inches from ground level. Avoid hard pruning in fall as this can cause reduced cold hardiness.

Fertilizer: Lantana requires little fertilizer. A light fertilization in spring will usually be sufficient. Vigorously growing plants may be fertilized again in mid summer, provided plants are not water stressed. Excessive fertilizer may reduce flowering and make plants more susceptible to disease.

Problems

Although lantana is generally a very low maintenance plant with few problems, some may occur, especially in improper growing conditions.

Lantana is susceptible to powdery mildew if grown in shade. Sooty mold, causing a blackish discoloration on the leaves is usually caused by infestation by whiteflies.

Root rot can be a problem if soil is poorly drained or plants are watered too frequently.

Lantana lace bugs cause leaves to appear grayish and stippled or to brown and drop. Caterpillar damage also can occur. Mites can be a problem, especially if plants are very dry.

Some cultivars produce small blue-black fleshy fruit. The fruit can be poisonous, especially if eaten in quantity. Fruiting can be avoided by growing sterile cultivars. Sterile cultivars which are available include 'New Gold', 'Samantha' ('Lemon Swirl'), 'Miss Huff', 'Mozelle', 'Patriot Deen Day Smith', 'Patriot Marc Cathey', 'Weeping Lavender' and 'Weeping White'.

Poor blooming is usually caused by too much shade or excessive fertilization. Plants that set berries may decline in bloom. Trim plants back to encourage new growth and flowering.

Species & Cultivars

Sterile cultivars are desirable since they do not produce seed, and so stay reliably in bloom throughout the summer. Some of these cultivars may set a limited amount of fertile berries.

Unless noted otherwise, listed species and cultivars are not reliably hardy and will most likely perform as annuals.

Common Lantana Cultivars: Common lantana (Lantana camara) is the most widely grown species, with numerous cultivars. Plants tend to be large and mound shaped, although some have spreading habit. Many cultivars are hybrids with trailing lantana (Lantana montevidensis). In addition to cultivars listed, there are many others, and new cultivars frequently appear on the market.

• 'Athens Rose' is a new cultivar that appears likely to be hardy throughout South Carolina. It forms an upright mound up to 3 feet tall. The flower buds are magenta, opening to deep rose-pink and yellow.
• 'Clear White' is a low spreading cultivar with pure white flowers.
• 'Miss Huff' is one of the most reliably perennial lantanas, even in the Upstate. It is a vigorous, tall plant, forming an upright mound up to 5 to 6 feet tall in one season. Flowers are a mix of orange, coral and gold. Sterile.

'Miss Huff' Lantana is hardy throughout South Carolina.
Joey Williamson, ©2007 HGIC, Clemson Extension

• 'Mozelle' is similar to 'Miss Huff in size and hardiness, but the flowers are much softer in color, varying from pale yellow to peach and soft pink. Sterile.
• 'New Gold' is very similar or the same as 'Gold Mound'. It is generally reliably hardy on the coast, and frequently overwinters in the Columbia area. 'New Gold' is a vigorous spreading plant, reaching 2 feet tall and 4 feet wide. This cultivar is very heavy blooming, with deep gold flowers. It is a sterile cultivar that does not produce berries.

'New Gold' Lantana
Karen Russ, ©2007 HGIC, Clemson Extension

• 'New Red' is very similar or the same as 'Texas Flame' and 'Dallas Red'. The flowers are orange, yellow and crimson. This cultivar is the reddest lantana available.
• 'Patriot Cowboy' is one of the smallest lantanas available, growing to only 12 inches tall and 12 inches wide. The blooms begin as orange buds that open bright yellow and change to bright orange.
• 'Patriot Deen Day Smith' is a newer variety with pastel colors of rose pink, canary yellow apricot. This is a vigorous growing mounding type, that will attain a height and width of up to 5 feet in one season. Sterile.
• 'Patriot Desert Sunset' has an upright mounding form, growing 3 feet tall and wide. Flowers are orange, gold, pink and coral.
• 'Patriot Honeylove' is a compact spreading cultivar up to 2 feet tall by 3 feet wide with pale pink, butter yellow, and ivory flowers Plants are slightly mounded with gentle weeping habit that is suitable for growing over walls or in hanging baskets.
• 'Patriot Marc Cathey' is a tall white flowering variety. The flower centers are clear lemon yellow. This is a vigorous growing mounding type, that will attain a height and width of up to 5 feet in one season. Sterile.
• 'Patriot Popcorn' is a small weeping cultivar, growing only 12 inches tall by 24 inches wide. Flowers are mixed white and yellow on a profusely blooming plant.
• 'Patriot Rainbow' is one of the smallest lantana available, growing to only 12 inches tall and 15 inches wide. This cultivar is very similar or the same as 'Confetti'. It is extremely free flowering, even more so than typical lantanas. The flowers open chiffon yellow, then change to orange and fuchsia-pink.
• 'Radiation' is a tall upright cultivar growing 4 to 5 feet tall and wide. Flowers are orange-red.
• 'Samantha' has dark green and chartreuse variegated foliage with bright lemon yellow flowers. It is very similar or the same as 'Lemon Swirl'. Plants grow 2 to 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide. 'Samantha' is a sterile cultivar that does not produce berries.
• 'Silver Mound' is a spreading cultivar with creamy white flowers with a gold eye. It is very free flowering and does not usually produce berries.

Weeping Lantana & Cultivars: Weeping lantana (Lantana montevidensis) has low vine like stems and grows 8 to 12 inches tall by 4 feet or more wide with lavender flowers. Weeping lavender is excellent for growing where branches can trail over a wall or container edge. It is generally hardy on the coast, and may survive many winters in the Columbia area. The crushed leaves have a peculiar odor somewhere between bitter citrus and the smell of gasoline.

• 'Alba' is similar to the species, but has white flowers.
• 'White Lightnin' has pure white flowers and is similar to 'Alba'
• 'Lavender Swirl' is similar to the species, but has white flowers that gradually deepen to pale lavender and finally rich lavender.

Popcorn lantana (Lantana trifolia): This is an unusual species grown primarily for the highly ornamental fruit clusters. Plants grow 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide, with small lavender pink disk shaped flower clusters. After bloom the metallic lavender fruit appear in elongated clusters the shape of an ear of corn.

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