Lantana

Questions about lantana

Does lantana need sun or shade?

Lantana grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day).

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and little watering once settled. Once settled in, it stands drought.

What zones does lantana grow in?

USDA zones 8 to 11. It is hardy to zone 8, which means it survives winter nights down to about 20 °F (−7 °C).

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does lantana flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers late May to mid October. As a spring flower it moves about a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer, later where it is colder.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should lantana be planted?

3 ft (90 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 4 ft (120 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 3 ft (90 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many lantana plants do I need?

At 3 ft apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 1 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 4 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 4 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as a group of three or five, with a second group further along in the other number.

Is lantana poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: moderate toxicity to people, dogs, cats and horses. All parts, especially the unripe berries, are poisonous if eaten and can damage the liver. The leaves can irritate skin.

Rated from NC State Extension and the ASPCA. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

What can I plant instead of lantana?

Lantana is listed as invasive in parts of North America, so the planner never uses it. These do the most similar job, and are native:

• Golden St John's wort 'Sunburst': the same job in a bed, the same size and the same colour; flowers late June to late July, not evergreen.
• New Jersey tea: the same job in a bed and the same size; flowers mid June to mid July, white, not yellow.
• Gloriosa daisy 'Indian Summer': the same job in a bed and the same colour; 20 in narrower, flowers early July to early October.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat lantana?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

Will lantana spread?

It seeds itself about; the risk of it taking over is high. Birds spread the seed, and it forms dense thickets. Listed as invasive in Florida, Hawaii, Texas and other warm states. Sterile cultivars are safer, and in cold climates it dies in winter.

It is listed as invasive in parts of North America, and the planner never chooses it.

What flowers after lantana?

Lantana is over by mid October. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Bodnant viburnum 'Dawn': from early November to late December, 10 ft tall.
• Common witch hazel: from mid October to late November, 15 ft tall.

What does lantana look like in winter?

Lantana keeps its dark green leaves all winter, so it is one of the plants that hold a bed together from November to March, when the perennials have gone.

Is lantana good for bees and butterflies?

Lantana is visited by pollinators, butterflies and hummingbirds.