Lantana Plant Care Guide: How to Grow Lantanas

Lantanas are drought-tolerant shrubs with multicolored flowers from the Verbenaceae family. They have a woody stalk in the center and bloom flowers from the surrounding canes. Since lantanas can bloom year-round, they are popular for gardens and houseplants. Lantanas grow best in high-temperature hardiness zones; in areas with cold winters, lantanas bloom as annual flowers rather than the tender perennials of warmer climates.

A different genus in the Verbenaceae family, the verbena is often mistaken for lantanas. However, verbena only bloom in the summer and fall. Additionally, they do not bloom flowers from a central stalk like the lantana shrub. The flowers of lantana and verbena do look similar, however.

There are many species of lantana and cultivars that produce flower clusters that grow in almost the full rainbow. Lantanas can have red, orange, yellow, pink, purple, or white flowers. Lantanas are popular with hummingbirds and butterflies. The nectar of the flowers is good for birds, bees, and butterflies, so lantana plants are helpful as pollinators.

Lantanas are native to tropical climates like Texas, Florida, and Central and South America. Since they are specific to these warmer climates, they flower all year. You can still grow lantanas in cooler places, but they will act as annual flowering shrubs and only flower in the spring and summer. Follow these tips to grow lantana flowers year-round:

1. 1. Plant lantanas in late spring. Since lantanas love the heat, planting them at the hottest time of the growing season will set them up for the future.
2. 2. Find optimal sun. Whether your lantana will be a garden plant or a houseplant, make sure it’s planted in a spot with full sun to encourage growth.
3. 3. Make sure the soil drains well. If you’re planting outdoors, pick a spot where the soil drains well and also stays evenly moist. If you’re planting in a pot or a planter, find high-quality potting soil and a draining pot.
4. 4. When planting in a flower bed, use compost. First, dig a hole bigger than the root ball for the lantana. Make sure the roots are teased out before putting them in the hole. After you refill the hole and tamp the soil and compost down, place mulch or gravel around the flower to keep weeds away and hold moisture.
   

Lantana plants are low-maintenance and easy to care for with the right materials. Pay attention to their growth and adaptation to their climate.

• Watering: Before lantanas flower, they prefer a lot of watering. After their flowers bloom, you only have to water your lantana once a week (or even less), as they are very tolerant to drought.
• Soil: Lantanas prefer a rich soil with slight acidity. You can mix your pre-existing soil with pine needles to bump up the acidity. If you want to add fertilizer, do so sparingly after the lantanas bloom as too much fertilizer can stop the flowers.
• Pruning: As perennial blooms, lantanas are big flowering shrubs. In the early spring, you can prune out the dead wood and cut them back by about a third to encourage new growth. Additionally, try pinching the tips of the stems to encourage new flowering. Lantanas (especially the Miss Huff variety) tend to grow aggressively, so feel free to trim them back to their assigned space.
• Diseases and pests: If you plant in an area with too much shade, a lack of air circulation, or too high humidity, you might get powdery mildew on your lantanas. If the soil isn’t set up correctly to drain, you’ll have to deal with root rot. Insects like spider mites, whiteflies, and lace bugs can be a problem as well, so spraying with an insecticide is a good idea.

There are over 150 species of the lantana genus and new cultivars pop up regularly since they’re so easy to create. Lantana cultivars fall into three major groups, and there are also popular cultivars within those categories that you’re likely to see when looking for lantana flowers.

1. 1. Common lantana (Lantana camara): There are a variety of cultivars within this species, also called shrub verbena. Some common lantanas include ‘Athens Rose,’ ‘Miss Huff,’ ‘New Gold,’ and ‘New Red.’
2. 2. Texas lantana (Lantana horrida): This lantana plant is also a good choice for a butterfly garden. Its tubular-shaped flowers bloom in bright red, orange, and yellow with dark green leaves. The branches of the shrub occasionally have prickles, so be careful when pruning.
3. 3. Weeping lantana (Lantana montevidensis): Also known as Trailing lantana, there are many weeping lantana cultivars that are hybrids with the common lantana. A weeping cultivar has low, vine-like stems and can reach up to 12 inches in height. These are the perfect lantana plant for a hanging basket, as they will trail over the side with colorful flowers. A few of the species include ‘Alba’ and ‘Lavender Swirl.’
4. 4. Popcorn lantana (Lantana trifolia): This species of lantana grows in ornamental lavender fruit clusters. They grow to 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide.

Some parts of Texas, South Florida, Hawaii, and eastern Australia consider the lantana an invasive species. Check with local experts before growing to make sure you don’t disrupt the existing ecosystem. Lantanas can grow to be very large and invade other parts of your landscaping, so keeping an eye on yours and pruning them regularly is best for the environment.

There are also varieties of sterile lantana cultivars that don’t produce seeds. These varieties are safer to plant in regions where lantanas are considered invasive since they will not reproduce and overwhelm the area.

Lantanas are toxic to children and pets, as well as animals that might wander by and start chewing on them. The plants are poisonous, with the berries being fatal. The leaves can give rashes and create skin irritation. It would be best to avoid planting them in areas where curious children and pets can get to them.

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