Lantana – Flowering plants

Lantana is commonly grown as a sun-loving blooming annual plant. It is a popular shrub in all areas of the country, whether grown in the ground or in pots. It is also easily grown from seed, which can be started indoors any time of the year. The bush usually grows to about 2-4 meters wide, has square stems, with oval shaped leaves which give off an unpleasant smell when crushed. The blossom heads are made up of about 20 smaller flowers ranging from white, cream, pink, purple, yellow and orange.

Scientific Name: Lantana camara
Common Name: Lantanas or shrub verbenas.

 

 

 

 

 

How to grow and maintain Lantana:

Light:
Splendid light to full sun. At least 6 hours of direct daylight will make lantana to bloom. Keep your plant in a bright window or move it outdoors for the summer to give it the light it needs to blossom.

Soil:
Lantana does best in well-draining, marginally acidic soil. It is really tolerant of soil type, but you should amend very heavy clay or sand with natural compost.

Planting:
If you are planting lantana in the container, Fill the container with soil to within 4 inches of the top. Dig a hole in the soil to embed the lower some portion of the root ball. Remove plastic containers and loosen up roots that have encircled the growing pot. Place the plant in the hole and backfill to the original soil line. Water well and if necessary, adjust the plant so that it is upright. Add extra soil to bring the level back up to original soil line.

Water:
Water the lantana after planting and place in a warm, sufficiently bright region out of direct daylight. The soil must be consistently sodden, but not soaked, throughout the spring, summer, and fall months. If the topsoil is dry to the touch, pour small amounts of water onto the growing medium until it is uniformly moist. During the winter season, the plant requires less successive watering.

Fertilizer:
It requires little compost. A light treatment in spring will usually be sufficient. Vigorously growing plants may be fertilized again in mid-summer, provided plants are not water stressed. Extreme compost may lessen blossoming furthermore, make plants more susceptible to disease.

Propagation:
Propagate lantana from cuttings, take a 6- to 8-inch cutting from the most recent growth. You should have at least two nodes on each cutting. Snip off any blooms and expel the leaves from the most minimal node. Plant the twig with the lowest node covered by the soil. Keep the soil moist but not soggy.