Family
Verbenaceae
Botanical Name
Lantana x mista
Plant Common Name
Hybrid Lantana
Special Notice
This entry has yet to be reviewed and approved by L2G editors.
General Description
Lantana is a genus comprised mostly of tropical shrubs. There are close to 150 accepted species. These traverse the globe, but most originate from the Americas, Africa and Australasia. There are hundreds of cultivated varieties, most variants of the ever-popular flowering shrub and tender perennial, Lantana camera . The other commonly cultivated species is the trailing, violet-flowered shrub, Lantana montevidensis .
Cultivated lantanas are widely popular because they are wonderfully easy to grow, very colorful and both heat and drought tolerant. Their flowers are borne in colorful, often multicolored, clusters of small tubular flowers. These are butterfly pollinated. In fact, their blooms are multicolored because they offer temporal color cues to pollinators. In the case of Lantana camera , their pink flower buds open to yellow and age to orange and finally to scarlet-pink. Only yellow flowers have a nectar reward, so butterflies know to only to visit these. Lantana blooms may also be golden yellow, apricot, violet-blue, or white. Lantana foliage is often medium to dark green, coarse, evergreen and strongly scented.
Cultural requirements and hardiness is species dependent, but most are sun-loving and tender. In tropical locations they are often grown along foundations or trained into standards, and in temperate locations they are favored as container and bedding plants.
Characteristics
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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Bloom Time
Indeterminate
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Native To
Mexico, Central America, South America, Africa, Polynesia, Australia
Growing Conditions
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Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
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Soil Drainage
Average
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Soil type
Loam, Sand
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange, Gold, Pink, Magenta, Coral, Blue Violet, Orange Red, Ivory
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Green, Dark Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Green, Dark Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Green, Dark Green
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Foliage Color (Winter)
Green, Dark Green
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Fragrant Flowers
No
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
Yes
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Showy Foliage
No
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Foliage Texture
Medium
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Evergreen
Yes
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Showy Bark
No
Special Characteristics
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Usage
Bedding Plant, Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
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Sharp or Has Thorns
No
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Attracts
Butterflies
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Self-Sowing
Yes
