Lantana

Lantana: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Woody, branching shrub; in a pot usually 60–80 cm tall and as wide. The stems are rough and sometimes slightly prickly.

Leaves

Oval, toothed, rough to the touch and dark green; aromatic when crushed.

Flower

Domed to flat clusters 3–5 cm across of small tubular flowers, which open from the outside inwards.

Colour

Changes during flowering: from yellow to orange and red, or from cream to pink and lilac.

Fruit

Small, glossy berries, green at first and later purplish black; they are poisonous.

Flowering: June–October · Plants: May–June · Pruning: March and October

Why grow it?

• Flowers non-stop from June to October, given sun and warmth.
• A butterfly magnet: butterflies and bees flock to the flowers.
• Colourful clusters that change colour as they flower.
• Copes with heat and some drought: ideal for the sunniest patio.
• Lasts for years if overwintered frost-free, growing into a sizeable shrub or even a standard.

Lantana: where does it grow best?

• Full sun and warmth, ideally on a sheltered south-facing patio.
• In a pot, free-draining compost; in the ground, sandy or loamy soil, acid to chalky.
• Dry to moderately moist: let the soil dry out a little between waterings.
• Only put it outside after mid-May, when the nights are no longer cold.
• In a border, 60–80 cm from other plants.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

0.8 m tall, 0.8 m wide

Hardiness

Frost tender: plant out after the last frost (mid-May)

Goes well with

• Cape leadwort: A sky-blue patio plant that flowers at the same time and is also overwintered frost-free.
• Purpletop vervain: Purple flower clusters that also attract butterflies.
• Fountain grass: Soft plumes around the colourful clusters in a large pot.
• Sage: Blue or purple spikes for the same sunny patio.

Lantana: when and how to plant it?

Plant in May–June.

1. Move the plant outside or plant it out in May–June, once the risk of late frost is over.
2. Choose a pot with a drainage hole, a few centimetres wider than the rootball.
3. Use compost mixed with some sand or grit for good drainage.
4. Set the plant at the same depth as in its old pot and firm the compost.
5. Water well and let the plant acclimatise in partial shade for a few days before moving it into full sun.
6. In the ground: if you want to overwinter it, plant it pot and all, so you can easily lift it again in autumn.

Care

Water

Regularly in summer, but let the top few centimetres dry out in between. Keep almost dry in winter.

Feeding

From May to August, a liquid feed for flowering plants every two weeks.

Spent flowers

Remove faded clusters and berries: this keeps it flowering and prevents poisonous berries.

Repotting

In March, after pruning, into a slightly larger pot with fresh compost, when the roots fill the pot.

Pinching out

Pinch out the tips of young shoots in spring for a compact, bushy plant.

Tip: Give it the sunniest spot and regularly remove faded clusters and berries: it will flower for longer and form no poisonous berries. Overwinter it frost-free and prune it back in March.

Lantana: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March and October.

When: In March, before the plant starts growing again. An oversized plant can be trimmed in October before bringing it in.

How:

• In March, cut all branches back by about half to two thirds, just above a bud or pair of leaves.
• Remove dead, weak and crossing branches.
• On a standard, trim the head into a rounded shape.
• In October, shorten branches that are too long so the plant fits indoors more easily.

Caution: Wear gloves: the leaves can irritate the skin and the stems are sometimes prickly.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Cuttings

Take softwood cuttings in spring or semi-ripe cuttings of 8–10 cm in August. Remove the lower leaves and root them in moist cutting compost under plastic, in a warm place.

Seed

Possible, but seedlings do not always resemble the parent and take longer to flower. Wear gloves and wash your hands after handling the berries.

Lantana: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to 2 °C: protect in harsh winters.

• Not hardy: it cannot take any frost. Bring it in during October, before the first night frost.
• Overwinter in a light, cool place at 5–10 °C, such as a greenhouse, cool conservatory or frost-free garage with a window.
• Water very little in winter; leaf drop is normal and the plant will reshoot in spring.
• From March, move it somewhere lighter and warmer, prune it and gradually water more.

Diseases and pests

• Whitefly: Tiny white flies that rise up when you touch the plant, especially indoors in winter. Hang up yellow sticky traps and overwinter the plant somewhere cool.
• Red spider mite: Fine yellow speckling and webbing on the leaves in dry, warm air. Mist the leaves and move the plant somewhere cooler.
• Root rot: The plant wilts even though the soil is wet: too much water. Let the compost dry out and make sure the pot has a drainage hole.
• Few flowers: Too little sun or too much nitrogen. Move it to the sunniest spot and use a feed for flowering plants.

Through the year

• January: Overwinter cool and light, almost dry. Watch for whitefly.
• February: Rest. Very little water.
• March: Prune, repot and move somewhere lighter and warmer. Gradually water more.
• April: Take cuttings. Pinch out young shoots.
• May: Move outside after mid-May, first into partial shade. Start feeding.
• June: Flowering. Feed every two weeks.
• July: Flowering. Remove faded clusters and berries.
• August: Flowering. Take semi-ripe cuttings.
• September: Flowering. Cut back on feeding.
• October: Bring indoors before the first night frost; shorten overlong branches.
• November: Overwinter cool and light at 5–10 °C.
• December: Rest. Very little water.

Edible and useful

Not edible. All parts of lantana are poisonous, especially the unripe green berries: swallowing any causes vomiting, stomach ache, diarrhoea and drowsiness, in children as well as in dogs and cats. Livestock are the most sensitive: in cattle, sheep and goats the plant damages the liver and makes the skin oversensitive to sunlight, so that they can become seriously ill. Cut off the berries where children play, do not put a potted lantana where animals can reach it, and never throw trimmings into a field or pen. The leaves can irritate the skin: wear gloves when pruning. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Butterflies

Nectar for butterflies.

Did you know?

• In tropical and subtropical regions lantana has run wild to become one of the most troublesome invasive plants in the world; here it does not survive the winter outdoors.
• The colour change of the flowers is a signal to pollinators: older, faded flowers offer little or no nectar.
• In warm countries it is mainly grazing animals such as cattle and sheep that are poisoned by the leaves.