When Does Texas Lantana Get Leaves?

Lantana Leaf-Out

• Hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 9 through 11 and grown as an annual in other areas, Texas lantana dies back to a base wood in winter in all but the most southern parts of the Lone Star state. As spring rolls around, gardeners will probably see leaves in Central Texas around mid-March, says Skip Richter, Harris County Extension Agent of Horticulture. "And you can make that about 2 to 3 weeks later for north Texas or the (Dallas–Fort Worth area), and a week or so earlier in San Antonio," he adds.

Lantana Leaves

• Lantana's toothed leaves grow up to 2.5 inches long in an opposite or whorled pattern. Lantana leaves are rough -- they feel like sandpaper or a cat's tongue. They're ovate, pointed at the tip, and flattened at the base. Leaves grow from stems whose bark is light gray to light brown and tends to flake off. Lantana's leaves are poisonous to pets, livestock and humans -- the good news is that deer avoid this plant.

Lantana Flowers

• Lantana's colorful flowers brighten and enliven any Texas garden of which the plant is a part. The tubular flowers have four flared lobes and appear in dense, rounded clusters. The flower heads grow on long stems and are often of two colors, including pink and white, yellow and orange and orange and red combinations. The flowers of some lantana cultivars change colors as the season progresses. The nectar of the lantana flower is favored by many butterflies, including swallowtails, hairstreaks, skippers, sulphurs and brush-foot butterflies. The nectar is also a food source for the larva of the Lantana Scrub-Hairsteak butterfly.

Growing Lantana

• A member of the verbena family, Texas lantana blooms best in full sun. This low-maintenance shrub is drought-tolerant but will flourish if it receives a weekly deep watering. Sandy or gravelly soil that offers good drainage works well for this plant, and an occasional trimming will increase vigor, as the plant blooms on new growth. Gardeners in climates that reach temperatures below 28 degrees Fahrenheit (-2 degrees Celsius) will want to offer their lantana winter protection by adding a heavy layer of mulch to the growing area.