Luscious Lantana

Luscious lantana, a tough, versatile annual flowering plant, dazzles in the summer and fall garden. If you like continual color, lantana delivers with clusters of florets in shades of whites, pinks, oranges, reds, yellows, and interesting two-tone combinations. Plant it and they will come – lantana is a butterfly magnet, especially for Swallowtails. Long-lasting lantana will flower until a killing frost. Plus, they work well and look great with fall mums, asters, cabbage, and kale.

How to grow:

• Full sun (the hotter the weather, the happier lantana will be).
Flower production will diminish if the plants do not get enough sunlight– aim for 6 – 8 hours a day.
• Potting soils that drain well are best.
• Not too wet, not too dry – keep soil barely moist.
• Excessive water/rainfall or pots that are slow-to-drain can cause plants to rot and die.
• Fertilize with blossom booster according to package directions. Avoid fertilizers high in Nitrogen.

How to use:

• Beds and borders
• Planters
• Window boxes
• Hanging baskets

Did you know? Lantana is:

• Perennial in warmer climates. LI winters are too cold for it to overwinter, so it’s treated as an annual.
• Said to be deer and bunny resistant.
• Native to Central and South America.
• A magnet for hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees.