How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Lantana

Lantana is a broadleaf evergreen shrub that can be grown as a perennial in warmer climates, whereas in colder climates, it will be grown as an annual or even as a houseplant. Trailing species look spectacular in hanging baskets that can be grown outdoors for part of the year and brought indoors during the winter in areas with frost. 

Lantanas also make a great addition to the landscape as a ground cover because of their growth habit and spread. They can quickly fill in an area and suppress any potential weed growth. However, they are primarily grown for their showy flowers, which are known to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. 

The flower colors range from red to orange, yellow, pink, and purple. They produce little clusters of flowers called umbels because they are umbrella-shaped. Umbels are particularly good at attracting pollinators because they provide a large landing pad for pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds and small individual flowers for the tinier pollinators like sweat bees, wasps, and hoverflies. 

Lantana foliage also has a pungent scent that has been described as fermented citrus or gasoline. The scent is released when something brushes against the lantana leaves. This scent attracts pollinators to the flowers.

This makes them a great choice for xeriscaping and desert regions. Some caution is needed, as many are beginning to ask: Is lantana invasive? Lantana camara is the most popular species you’ll encounter. In some areas, L. camara is considered invasive because of its aggressive growth habit, tolerance of poor soil conditions, and ability to hybridize with native lantanas.

For this reason, sterile varieties are being produced as ground covers to prohibit the spread and destruction of native species. Consider this when you decide to grow lantana. 

What is Lantana?

Lantana camara is the most common variety among gardeners. This perennial flowering shrub puts on a show with its red, orange, and yellow flowers that are known to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Many choose to grow lantana flowers for the very specific reason of attracting these visitors to their yards. 

Native Area

Lantana is native to the tropical regions of Central and South America. It thrives in hot and humid areas. Although there are many different varieties, their care requirements are similar. In some regions, like South Africa, it is incredibly invasive.

Characteristics

Lantana grows like a small shrub. In the warmer climates of USDA zone 7 and above, they will be grown as a perennial. In other areas, people grow them as an annual or as an indoor houseplant. Lantana flowers don’t bloom over winter, but it will put on new growth at the beginning of the growing season. Many gardeners are planting lantana in the landscape for use as a ground cover because of the way it spreads out as it grows. 

Varieties

There are over 150 species of flowering perennials in the verbena family of which lantana belongs to. That being said, there are several varieties that are quite popular. 

Lantana trifolia, also known as popcorn lantana, is known for its relatively small and bright clusters of lantana flowers. Lantana montevidensis, or trailing lantana, has branches up to 12 inches long and is popular for hanging baskets or window boxes. 

Wild lantana, Lantana urticoides, is found in Texas. These emit a pungent scent from their leaves. Lantana camara, also known as West Indian Lantana, is the most popular species which includes several varieties such as ‘Ham and Eggs’ and ‘Miss Huff’. Lantana care requirements are the same for all of these types of lantana.

Planting

To plant, choose a sunny location with well-draining soil. Dig the hole twice as wide as the root ball and the same depth, then place the lantana in the hole, ensuring the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface.

Backfill with soil, gently firm it around the roots, and water thoroughly to help establish the shrub. Be mindful that in some regions, lantana can be invasive, so check local guidelines before planting.

How to Grow

Care is simple, though they do have a few requirements that need to be met. They are relatively low maintenance and tolerate drought once established. You can grow lantana flowers in the garden or in containers. Read on to find out how to grow lantana! 

Light

Place lantana in a sunny location with at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight per day to help your lantana flower. Lantanas can also be grown in partial shade, which can be helpful in areas with extreme heat. However, you will get fewer flowers. 

Water

It’s best to water in the morning before the heat of the day sets in. Newly planted lantanas require frequent watering, but once established, they will require little maintenance, and a good soaking once a week will be enough to keep them happy. Their watering needs will differ in areas with high humidity versus dry climates. 

In periods of extremely hot weather, and especially in arid areas, you may want to water them every other day, depending on the forecast. In areas with higher humidity, they can be watered less often. During the growing season, they will naturally need more water than they do during the winter months. 

Placing lantana along a drip irrigation line makes it easy to adjust their water needs based on the weather and time of year. They can even tolerate salt spray, which makes them ideal for planting near the ocean.  

Soil

Lantanas are tolerant of many soil conditions. However, they do prefer slightly acidic soil. Well-draining soil is also a must. This can be achieved with the addition of amendments such as pine needles or coffee grounds. However, this isn’t necessary since lantanas are extremely adaptable. 

In particularly dry climates, mulching around the base can help retain moisture and help you go longer between waterings. This is especially true when planting in sandy soil, which is so well-draining that it has trouble retaining moisture. 

When you’re growing in containers, be sure to use high-quality potting soil. Potting soil mixes made for azaleas can be mixed with regular potting soil at a ratio of 50-50 to provide the acidity that they prefer. If you’re concerned about the pH levels of the soil you can purchase a soil pH tester to help make the necessary adjustments. The ideal pH level for lantana is between 6-6.5. 

Temperature

Lantana is a tender perennial that cannot survive a frost, unless you’re growing the species in their native range. It can be grown as a perennial in USDA zones 7 and above. In colder climates, it will be grown as an annual. Otherwise, it will need to be brought inside before cold weather arrives. 

Growing lantana is easiest in warm climates, where temperatures stay above 60°F (16°C). These plants thrive in harsh conditions and can flourish in drier climates with very poor soil. For this reason, they are a popular landscaping choice in desert climates. Some varieties of lantana are considered invasive in parts of South Africa, Australia, Florida, Hawaii, and Texas. 

When you care for lantana, if you have difficulty meeting its temperature requirements outdoors, fear not. Lantana can also be grown as a houseplant! The trailing lantanas look especially lovely in hanging baskets. They can also be grown in window boxes which can easily be moved indoors in areas that receive frost.  

Fertilizing

Although it isn’t required, lantana can be given a light dose of a balanced liquid fertilizer. One may assume that if some fertilizer is good, then even more must be better, but too much fertilizer may inhibit their overall flower production. 

Fertilize lantana in early spring before new growth appears just once to help your lantana flower without hampering the process. Lantana will do just fine, however, without any fertilizer at all. A simple top dressing of compost at the beginning of each season will suffice as well. 

Maintenance

Older lantanas can benefit from regular pruning as they may grow scraggly with thick, woody stems. Regular pruning will also encourage branching. To encourage reblooming, lantanas benefit from deadheading their spent blooms. 

Overgrown shrubs can be cut back by one-third to encourage new growth in the early spring. Always sterilize your pruning shears between shrubs to prevent the possibility of spreading disease from one to another. 

Propagation

Non-sterile varieties of lantanas produce small berries as they finish their flowering cycle. If you allow these berries to dry on the shrub, you can collect them and save the seeds inside. Lantana seeds germinate erratically, taking anywhere from 14-120 days to germinate. For this reason, the most reliable method of propagation is by taking cuttings from an established shrub. 

Take a cutting just below the leaf node and remove the lower foliage from the bottom four inches of the stem. Place the cutting in water, and it should have notable root growth within three to four weeks, at which point it can be planted into soil. 

Since some varieties of lantana are considered to be invasive, there are also hybrids that are sterile and will not produce seeds. Propagation via cuttings will be your best choice with these varieties. In ideal conditions, mound layering or simply popping a fresh cutting in the earth in spring or fall will propagate it. 

Common Problems

Lantana are relatively trouble-free, and even the most common pests tend to leave them alone, but there are some potential red flags to look out for when growing them. Read on to learn how to spot the warning signs and how to rectify any issues that may crop up. 

Growing Problems

Most growing problems arise when watering and light requirements are not being met. If your lantanas are not flowering, then you may want to increase water. Similarly, if they aren’t flowering, then you may want to move them to an area with direct sun and well-drained soil. Growing lantana is easy once these two basic needs are met. Provide them with the right balance of water and light, and your lantana will flower for years to come! 

Pests

Common pests that affect lantana include lace bugs and whiteflies. Symptoms of lace insects will appear as foliage turning grey or brown and then dropping off the plant. Sooty mold is a condition that causes black discoloration on the leaves and is most often attributed to insect pests, such as whiteflies. Insecticidal soap can be used to treat both of these pests. 

Spider mites are common for lantana grown indoors. They prefer a warm, dry environment with low humidity. A good preventative method is to increase humidity around your houseplants. The first signs of mites will be tiny holes in the lantana leaves or small yellowish spots on the foliage. You may even notice tiny web clusters on the leaves as well. 

If these mites have already appeared, but there is little to no damage to the plant, they can likely be manually removed with a forceful spray of water or wiping down your plants with a damp cloth.

Diseases

Rot and mildew are the main diseases that can affect your lantana. The symptoms of root rot will appear as a soft mushy stem, wilting, and of course, rotten roots. This type of rot is more common in lantanas planted in containers but can also affect in-ground shrubs. Root rot is harder to recover from but can be remedied if there are still fresh, white roots that have not yet turned to mush. 

For potted shrubs, cut back the rotted roots and put them in a pot of dry soil. For in-ground plants, cease watering and let the ground dry out completely before watering again. Then, work on increasing the drainage of the soil. 

Powdery mildew will appear as a white flour-like powder on the leaves. Powdery mildew is caused by a fungus that can take hold in especially hot and humid climates. Too much moisture splashed on the foliage during watering can contribute to issues with powdery mildew. To prevent these issues, always bottom water your shrubs. Placing them along drip irrigation makes that effortless. 

Neem oil may also be sprayed as a preventative measure to reduce the colonization of spores on the foliage. In advanced cases of this mildew, it may be best to remove and destroy the infected material to prevent it from spreading to nearby healthy plants. After removing infected plant material, spray neem oil. 

Frequently Asked Questions