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Lantana
Lantana camara
Lantana blooms from June through October.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing Lantana
Plant it in full sun. It prefers low water. It is hardy in USDA zones 9–11. Expect it to reach about 1.6 ft tall and 2 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 1 year.
When to plant Lantana
Wait until all danger of frost has passed, then plant out Lantana into warm soil; in most zones that means late spring. Planted then, it flowers from June to October.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 9 in February.
Comes in 11 varieties across 6 colors
Same plant, same care - pick the color you are growing.
Good to know about Lantana
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Safety
Toxic to dogs, cats and horses, and seriously toxic to grazing livestock: eating the leaves or berries can cause vomiting and, in livestock, liver failure. per ASPCA and NC State
Worth knowing
Its signature trait: each floret opens one color and shifts to another as it ages, so one cluster shows several colors at once, often yellow aging to orange. per NC State
Berry risk is disputed
Sources disagree on how risky the berries are to people: a study of 641 California children found no significant toxicity, yet rare fatal cases from green berries exist. per Clinical Toxicology and Hong Kong
Invasive where it is hardy
One of the world's 100 worst invasive plants: where winters are mild it forms dense thickets and resprouts after cutting. Check your local weed list before planting. per Wisconsin and Cal-IPC
Choose a seedless cultivar
Sterile or low-fruiting cultivars set little or no fruit, which cuts both the toxic-berry hazard to children and pets and the seed-driven invasive spread at once. per Clemson
Butterfly and hummingbird magnet
A strong nectar plant: the flat flower heads are landing pads that pull in butterflies and hummingbirds all season, and birds eat the ripe berries. per NC State
Lean, dry soil means flowers
Keep it lean and dry: overwatering or rich, high-nitrogen soil pushes leafy growth and cuts bloom (and risks root rot). Poor, dry soil is the flowering strategy. per Wisconsin
What pairs well with Lantana
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Rock Cress
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Rosemary
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Globe Thistle
Shares full sun and low water; both are strong pollinator plants; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it.
Sea Thrift
Shares full sun and low water; opens in mid spring and overlaps into this one's season; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; both offer pollinator forage.
Lavender
Shares full sun and low water; both are strong pollinator plants; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; purple against orange, for contrast.
Flowering Crabapple
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months.
Crocus
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in late winter, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; lower at 4 in, for the front of the border.
Viburnum
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; taller at 6.6 ft, for the layer behind it.
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