The lantana does not require much care – so a lush, bright sea of flowers combined with bushy, healthy foliage can be achieved without much effort.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Lantana camara (common lantana) is a species of flowering plant within the verbena family (Verbenaceae), native to the American tropics. It is a very adaptable species, which can inhabit a wide variety of ecosystems; once it has been introduced into a habitat it spreads rapidly; between 45ºN and 45ºS and more than 1,400 meters (4,600 feet) in altitude.
It has spread from its native range to around 50 countries, where it has become an invasive species. It first spread out of the Americas when it was brought to Europe by Dutch explorers and cultivated widely, soon spreading further into Asia and Oceania where it has established itself as a notorious weed, and in Goa Former Estado da Índia Portuguesa it was introduced by the Portuguese.
L. camara can outcompete native species, leading to a reduction in biodiversity. It can also cause problems if it invades agricultural areas as a result of its toxicity to livestock, as well as its ability to form dense thickets which, if left unchecked, can greatly reduce the productivity of farmland by suppressing the pastures (grasses) essential for livestock production and also suppresses crops in cultivated farmlands.
Lantana camara is a perennial, erect sprawling or scandent, shrub which typically grows to around 2 metres (6+1⁄2 feet) tall and forms dense thickets in a variety of environments. Under the right conditions, it can scramble up into trees and can grow to 6 m (20 ft) tall.
The leaves are broadly ovate, opposite, and simple and have a strong odor when crushed.
L. camara has small tubular-shaped flowers, which each have four petals and are arranged in clusters in terminal areas. Flowers come in many different colors, including red, yellow, white, pink and orange, which differ depending on location in inflorescences, age, and maturity. The flower has a tutti frutti smell with a peppery undertone. After pollination occurs, the color of the flowers changes (typically from yellow to orangish, pinkish, or reddish); this is believed to be a signal to pollinators that the pre-change color contains a reward as well as being sexually viable, thus increasing pollination efficiency. In frost-free climates the plant can bloom all year round, especially when the soil is moist.
The fruit is a berry-like drupe which turns from green to dark purple when mature. Green unripe fruits are inedible to humans and animals alike. Because of dense patches of hard spikes on their rind, ingestion of them can result in serious damage to the digestive tract. Both seed and vegetative reproduction occur. Up to 12,000 fruits can be produced by each plant.
Lantana camara is known to be toxic to livestock such as cattle, sheep, horses, dogs and goats. The active substances causing toxicity in grazing animals are pentacyclic triterpenoids called Lantadenes, which result in liver damage and photosensitivity. L. camara also excretes allelopathic chemicals, which reduce the growth of surrounding plants by inhibiting germination and root elongation.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Lantana plants like full sun. The plant should receive at least six hours (or more) of direct sunlight every day. It can tolerate some afternoon shade but will flower less if planted in a shady spot.
Temperature and Humidity
Lantana plants grow in USDA zones 7 to 11; in this zone, they are evergreens of the broadleaf variety. They may survive a light frost, but the plant will die if the temperature dips below 28 degrees Fahrenheit or stays cold for a long time. Lantana thrives in temperatures 55 degrees Fahrenheit or more. It enjoys humid weather and can survive salt spray.
Watering
Water lantana thoroughly, about one inch per week, and do not let it dry out. With sandy soil, you will likely need to water every day. If blooming has slowed or stopped altogether, try more water.
Soil
These plants thrive in well-draining soil. They will grow in most soil conditions but prefer a neutral pH range (6.0-8.0).
Fertilizing
Lantana plants do not require much fertilizer when in the ground. Give it once in the early spring. They are very low-maintenance, and too much fertilizer can decrease the abundance of flowers. Feed lantana plants in containers more frequently with a balanced, gentle 20-20-20 fertilizer every month, following product label instructions.
Planting Instructions
Seeds for planting lantanas as annuals in cooler zones are readily available commercially. Harvesting seeds from perennial plants in warmer zones is simple. When the plant’s black berries are ripe, you will find seed pods inside. Plant seeds six to eight weeks indoors before you want to transplant outdoors.
- Pop seeds out of the pods, rinse them with water and dry them on paper towels for a couple of days.
- Store dried seeds in a sealed container in a refrigerator until you can put them in a small pot for germination.
- Soak seeds in warm water for 24 hours.
- Fill small pots with soilless potting mix, place one or two seeds in the center of each pot, and cover with the medium.
- Place the pot with the seeds in individual and sealable plastic bags. Keep the pots of seeds moist and in an environment where the temperature is between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove the bag as soon as you see seedlings. This should take about a month. Plant outdoors or in an outdoor container.
Pruning
If you are growing lantana as a perennial, pruning is essential to promote branching and flowering. Remove the plant’s fruit to keep its aggressive growth in check—lightly shear lantana after flowering to encourage future blooms on bushier branches. Cut stems in the spring to within six to 12 inches from the ground to encourage branching and blooming.
If a perennial lantana plant produces berries and you do not want the seeds to drop and spread, prune lantana after flowering.
Propagation
Lantana can be propagated or multiplied by growing from seed or stem cuttings. Stem cutting is more reliable since many lantana plants are hybrids, which may not come true to the parent plant when grown from collected seed. Stem cuttings, however, will be the same as the parent. Take a cutting in the fall as the weather turns wintery. The outdoor plants will die in winter weather, but you can grow them indoors in a warm room with grow lights, getting them ready to transplant outdoors in the spring. Here’s how to propagate by stem cutting:
- You’ll need pruners, a piece of the plant, a pot of moist seed starting mix or perlite and peat moss mixture, rooting hormone (optional, but preferred), a clear plastic bag, and wooden supports (pencils, sticks, or chopsticks).
- Take a 4-inch cutting from new growth, removing the lower leaves and keeping one or two sets of leaves at the end.
- Fill the container with the moistened potting soil, and make a two-inch deep hole with a pencil or your finger.
- Coat the stem cutting end and the spots where you removed the leaves with rooting hormone if you’re using it.
- Place the cutting in the hole, and fill it with soil, tamping it down and firming around the cutting.
- Use four wooden prop sticks and place them around the perimeter of the potting container.
- Put the clear plastic bag over the cutting, with the wooden supports ensuring the bag does not touch the stem cutting.
- Keep the soil moist, check daily, and give the plant fresh air for a short period each day.
- Rooting takes about three to four weeks. Once you notice new growth or tug at the plant and feel it is hard to pull out of the soil, remove the plastic bag and grow it in a warm, sunny window until it’s ready to go outdoors.
Potting and Repotting
Lantana grows well in containers. Since lantana tends to have invasive qualities in warmer, tropical, and subtropical regions, it’s best to grow this plant in a container to control its growth. In places where it will die back in winter, it’s safer to grow in the ground without worrying about its invasive spread.
Put the plant into a container slightly larger than its existing rootball. Lantana prefers tight living quarters, so resist getting a huge container. Make sure the container has ample drainage holes. Consider placing small gravel at the bottom to assist with drainage. Use potting soil with good drainage; consider mixing in sand, perlite, or using peat moss mixture.
Lantana needs to be repotted when its roots outgrow the container; a tell-tale sign is its roots growing out of the drainage holes. Only move up to a container that is the next size larger. If you are considering a vining lantana that works well in hanging planters, L. montevidensis is more vine-like than other varieties and is a great hanging plant.
Overwintering
Gardeners in cold climates sometimes wonder if lantana plants can be taken indoors in the fall and overwintered as houseplants. The answer is yes and no. Lantana can be overwintered inside, but they do not thrive as houseplants unless they have warmth and strong, full-spectrum indoor grow lights.
You can also overwinter them in an unheated room that doesn’t drop cooler than 55 F for the winter, keeping them dormant. Provide minimal light and water (about 1/2 inch of water per week) until you replant, or bring it outdoors in the spring when temperatures warm up.
Pests and Diseases
Common Pests
Lantana can survive most pests but watch for the following insects that can cause problems if the infestation becomes severe. The four most common pests of lantana are aphids, lace bugs, mealybugs, whiteflies, and spider mites. Use insecticidal soap to eliminate pests or use a method more specific to the insect to save lantana plants.
Common Problems
It’s one of the easiest plants to grow as an annual or shrub. It’s tough, salt- and drought-tolerant, and is nearly maintenance-free.
Poor Bloom
If your lantana rarely blooms, ensure it’s getting full sun, ample water, and not too much nitrogen-rich fertilizer. Nitrogen feeds foliage, forsaking flowers for leaves. To encourage lantanas to bloom, remove the flower heads before they make berries. The plant also puts a lot of its energy into producing berries at the expense of blooms. Pruning or trimming back plants will encourage new growth and more flowers.
Wilting Foliage
Although these plants become drought tolerant once established, they still require watering at the base of the plant during hot weather—at least once a week in the summer.
Leaves Drooping
A lantana’s leaves may droop if it lacks necessary nutrients, such as iron, potassium, calcium, or phosphorus. Test the soil using an at-home kit or send your soil sample to a lab to check for deficiencies. Amend the soil with the nutrients the soil is missing.
Healthy soil naturally contains the nutrients a plant needs for growth; however, nutritional deficiencies occur when the soil loses nutrients due to soil erosion, runoff, or other plants depleting its nutrients. Replenish nutrients by providing fertilizer.
III. Uses and Benefits
Lantana camara stalks have been used in the construction of furniture, such as chairs and tables; however, the main uses have historically been medicinal and ornamental.
- Medicinal uses
Studies conducted in India have found that Lantana leaves can display antimicrobial, fungicidal and insecticidal properties. L. camara has also been used in traditional herbal medicines for treating a variety of ailments, including cancer, skin itches, leprosy, chicken pox, measles, asthma and ulcers.
L. camara extract has shown to reduce gastric ulcer development in rats.
- Ornamental uses
Lantana camara has been grown specifically for use as an ornamental plant since Dutch explorers first brought it to Europe from the New World. Its ability to last for a relatively long time without water, and the fact that it does not have many pests or diseases which affect it, have contributed to it becoming a common ornamental plant. L. camara also attracts butterflies and birds and is frequently used in butterfly gardens. As an ornamental, L. camara is often cultivated indoors, or in a conservatory, in cool climates, but can also thrive in a garden with sufficient shelter.
- As a host plant
Many butterfly species feed on the nectar of L. camara. Papilio homerus, the largest butterfly in the western hemisphere, is known to feed on the nectar of the flowers as an opportunistic flower feeder. A jumping spider, Evarcha culicivora, has an association with L. camara. They consume the nectar for food and preferentially use these plants as a location for courtship.
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