Information About Lantana Flowers

History

• Lantana has a long history in the New World due to its purported medicinal properties. According to the Texas A&M Department of Horticultural Sciences, Spanish colonists used the plants to make infusions, which they took as medicine. In Mexico, the lantana has been used to treat stomach problems. In some parts of the world, the plant is still used to treat snake bites.

Physical Characteristics

• Lantanas vary greatly in size and shape depending upon the particular cultivar. Some shrub-type cultivars can grow up to 5 or 6 feet tall, while spreading varieties stay low to the ground but may reach up to 4 feet wide. All lantanas, however, boast bright clusters or white, pink, yellow or orange flowers. The leaves are rough textured and emit a foul smell when crushed. The stems are hairy or even prickly to the touch.

Landscape Uses

• Lantanas are used in flowerbeds and containers. The trailing or spreading varieties are frequently used in hanging baskets or as a ground cover. The flowers attract butterflies.

  Lantanas require full sun to bloom reliably. They thrive in hot conditions and will adapt to virtually any soil as long as it is well drained. Because lantanas are tolerant of salt, they are an appropriate choice for locations near the coast.

Maintenance

• Horticulture specialist Karen Russ of Clemson University recommends watering newly planted lantanas frequently in the first few weeks. After plants are established, a once-a-week watering is enough to keep them blooming.

  Less is more when it comes to fertilizer. A light application in the spring is usually all lantanas need to grow vigorously. Too much fertilizer actually inhibits blooming and encourages disease.

  Nipping back the tip growth of the plants will encourage repeated blooming all season long. Russ also advises that you prune shrub-type lantana in the spring by cutting back the plants to approximately 6 to 12 inches from the ground.

Common Cultivars

• The Clemson University Extension website lists a number of lantana cultivars that are appropriate for landscape use. These are all sterile varieties, which means they do not produce seed and thus will bloom all summer long.

  New Gold is one of them most popular cultivars available. Miss Huff is a particularly hardy cultivar that can grow up to 6 feet tall in one season. Clear White is a spreading variety valued for its pure white flowers. Other popular varieties include Samantha, Weeping Lavendar and Mozelle.