How to Prune Trailing Lantana

Lantana is a brightly colored flower native to tropical South America with vinelike stems. It is a low shrublike plant with long loose stems that trail across the ground. Trailing lantana is suitable for use in U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 8 through 10 and produces the best flower color in full sun. The plant can spread out to 5 feet in diameter but only 12 to 20 inches high. The flowers are composed of clusters of florets that may be purple to lavender or pink with yellow throats. Trailing lantanta is useful as a ground cover but may also be grown in a pot. It is a low-maintenance plant with moderate water needs that attracts butterflies. The plant produces berries after the blooms fade that are poisonous and the leaves are toxic to animals.

Hand pruners
Bleach
Spray bottle

Instructions

- 1
  Clean the pruners before using them. This will prevent the spread of disease. Use a solution of 10 percent bleach and the remainder water in a spray bottle. Spray the blades to sanitize.
- 2
  Cut the stems back 3 to 6 inches to a growth node. These will be located just before a cluster of leaves. Cut the stem off 1/4 inch before the node. This light pruning promotes bushiness.
- 3
  Prune the plant hard in early spring. Take the stems back to within 12 inches of the base of the plant in late winter and cover with straw or heavy mulch. Pull the covering away in spring so the new sprouts can be exposed to light and air.
- 4
  Remove any broken or damaged stems at any time of the year. Follow proper pruning practices including sanitizing and cutting just before the node so the plant can produce a flush of growth from that node.
- 5
  Cut off the poisonous berry clusters as they appear to protect children and pets. Begin maintenance of the berries at the end of summer and into fall as they grow.

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