Botanical name: Lantana-Camara hybrids
Other names: Lantana, lantane
Use: Balcony plant, tub plant, stem, bedding plant, nectar and pollen plant
Origin: North America, Central America, Canary Islands
Flower colors: yellow, orange, pink, red, white, cream, multicolored
Flowering period: April to October
Special features: Lantana are plants with a special charm. In addition to the eponymous color change of the flowers, the intense fragrance should be emphasized. A different color than the bud can appear already at the opening. The flowers serve as a valuable source of food for butterflies and bees for months. The Lantana genus is a joy to grow all summer long and requires little maintenance.
Lantana belong to the verbena family and are known to be sun-loving. The special attraction of the terrace plant is the change in the color of the flowers. The common name already provides an indication of this. There are varieties that bloom yellow, later shimmer in orange and take on a wonderful shade of red when they fade. The color change makes the lantane the star on the balcony, terrace and planted in the balcony box or garden bed. The sun worshiper originally comes from the region that stretches from Central America to southern North America. As a woody plant, the Lantana can be outdoors from May to October, but must be overwintered before frost occurs. The easy-care Lantana camara always enchants with different flower colors. You can buy plants online from us.
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In which location does the lantana feel most comfortable?
Lantana needs a sunny spot outdoors from mid-May to October. A place in partial shade is also possible, although the abundance of flowers here can be less than in full sun. The popular summer flowers can stand as stems or solitary bushes in large pots or be planted out in the garden. Potted goods are suitable for balcony box planting and as a bowl plant or bedding plant. A location that is sheltered from rain is ideal. The flowering plant is not suitable as a houseplant. For hibernation, lantana are placed frost-free and bright in the house from October to the beginning of April until they return to their place on the balcony or terrace after hibernation. You can find the right planters outside with us.
What is the best way to plant my Lantana?
The following applies to all sizes: Repot your Lantana immediately after purchase. The culture pots are well rooted and transplanting promotes the development and thus the vitality of the flowers. First place the whole plant with the pot in a bucket of water so that the root ball is completely saturated and the plant can be potted out more easily. Use a high-quality potting soil for repotting, this should be structurally stable and already contain a basic fertilizer. Potting soil for balcony plants that contains clay minerals for nutrient storage and can be easily moistened is ideal. You can buy the right potting soil from us. So nothing stands in the way of good root development and the terrace plant blooms tirelessly and can continue to develop optimally. For better drainage it is recommended first put some expanded clay in the balcony box or the pot. This allows you to achieve safer water drainage and prevent waterlogging. You will find the right products in our online plant shop.
Our gardening tip: A pH value that is neutral to slightly acidic is ideal for Lantana camara.
How do I properly care for my Lantana?
In addition to the sunny location and regular watering and fertilizing, it is important that the withered flowers are continuously cut off. This prevents seed formation and the jewelry is not weakened. You can also influence the formation of flowers and the duration of the pile with the right care. Cutting Lantana is no problem, a cut directly above a pair of leaves is best. Cut back long shoots to encourage the plant to grow bushier. If you want to multiply Lantana camara, the shoot tips can be used as cuttings. A topiary on small trunks can be beneficial for the formation of a crown. Pruning will make the crown bushier, as new shoots and new flowers will soon appear. A cut also prevents breakage in strong winds.
How do I water my Lantana correctly?
An even water supply is important for lantanas. Plants don’t like irregular watering. The soil must not dry out, otherwise the flowers can be dropped and roots damaged, the same happens with waterlogging. Therefore, the watering of the Lantana has to be done with a little finesse. How often it needs to be watered depends largely on the size of the plant, the location, the radiation and the volume of the soil. It is therefore difficult to make a general watering recommendation. In the summer months it may be necessary to water every day, but no excess water should be left in the saucer. Cover pots without water drainage are unsuitable because waterlogging causes root damage.
Our gardening tip: Check the coasters 20 minutes after watering and pour off excess water. In rainy phases it can be helpful if coasters are completely removed. Stale tap water is also suitable.
How do I fertilize my lantana correctly?
Lantana need sufficient nutrients for rich blooms. It is optimal if you use a long-term balcony flower fertilizer directly when planting. This provides the flowering plants with a slow-acting depot fertilizer for the first few weeks. In addition, add a liquid flower fertilizer with guano to the irrigation water after 4 to 6 weeks. This contains all the important nutrients as well as revitalizing humic substances that ensure the formation of flowers. If you fertilize the plants until late summer, the splendor will be preserved for a long time. With a lack of fertilizers, the color of the leaves is light, and the plants bloom less profusely. From mid-September you can adjust the nutrient supply, so the plants are optimally prepared for the winter and the wood matures.
Our gardening tip: Overwintering lantana is particularly worthwhile for stems and solitary plants. Lantana can boast abundant flowering for many years. The trunk of the solitary plants becomes thicker and the woody wood sprout reliably. In the spring, repotting in new soil makes sense. Do you already know our plants overwintering service?
How do I winter lantan properly?
If you would like to enjoy your Lantana in the coming year as well, overwintering is quite possible. It is best if you overwinter the patio plants in a bright and frost-free location with temperatures between 5 and 10 degrees Celsius. It is important that the terrace plant is never exposed to frost and that the temperatures do not rise above 10 °C. Our tip is to cut back before wintering. Shorten the older shoots by 1/3, but not right into the wood. This guarantees good budding and a harmonious structure of the crown next year. In winter, the lantana needs no fertilizer and only little water. The root ball should never dry out completely, but the water requirement is very minimal given the low temperatures, the lack of sunlight and the reduced leaf mass. From mid-March it is advisable to place the plants at temperatures around 15 °C and from the end of April the sun-worshiper can gradually acclimate to outdoor conditions. It is important that you protect the flowers from night frost and avoid intense sunlight for the time being. If necessary, repotting can take place after the winter. Careful pruning of the young shoots may also be necessary in spring. The cut is analogous to the care in summer. The suitable products can be found in our online shop for plants. that you protect the flowers from night frost and avoid intense sunlight for the time being. If necessary, repotting can take place after the winter. Careful pruning of the young shoots may also be necessary in spring. The cut is analogous to the care in summer. The suitable products can be found in our online shop for plants. that you protect the flowers from night frost and avoid intense sunlight for the time being. If necessary, repotting can take place after the winter. Careful pruning of the young shoots may also be necessary in spring. The cut is analogous to the care in summer. The suitable products can be found in our online shop for plants.
Our gardening tip: A layer of well-rotted compost protects the newly planted plants in the first winter and promotes soil activity. Cover the ground between the plants with some compost and give the plants a natural winter protection.
What pests and diseases can lantana get?
With the right site conditions and the right care, lantana are floriferous plants, but the following pests or diseases can still occur:
White Fly:
Whitefly infestation can occur, especially in wind-protected locations and in winter quarters. The small insects are on the underside of the leaves. These suck on the leaves and yellow spots form as a result of their sucking activity. The leaves dry up and fall off. At the first infestation, remove the affected leaves and dispose of them with household waste. If the infestation is low, yellow boards offer a good opportunity to minimize the pests. The use of parasitic wasps, a natural antagonist, is also effective.
Aphids:
Especially in phases with less light and less growth, Lantana camara are more susceptible to aphid infestation. Check plants in winter quarters regularly. Rinse the plants thoroughly with water at the first infestation — this measure usually helps. Natural plant strengtheners help the plant grow stronger tissue that is less likely to be attacked by sucking insects.
FAQ — Frequently asked questions about Lantana
Why do lantana bloom only sparsely?
In addition to the wrong location, too much pruning and a lack of nutrients can be responsible for poor flowering. It is best to cut back the long shoots in autumn before putting them away, and only the faded ones during the season.
Which plants are suitable for combining with lantanen?
- All balcony plants that prefer full sun are ideal
- The plants should have similar water requirements
- Combination examples are: geraniums, Aztec gold, magic snow
Can Lantana camara stand indoors?
Lantana camara is not suitable as a houseplant. The beautiful shape and the lush abundance of flowers are only possible with direct sunlight. The plant is ideal for the Mediterranean garden.
How do Lantana become a standard?
Growing a standard stem from a rooted cutting takes time and patience. The cutting is not cut and continues to grow as a shooter to the desired trunk height. Now the so-called pinching takes place, whereby the shoot tip is removed. It has to be formed several times before it reaches the bushy standard.
Are lantana good as bee pasture?
With lots of pollen and nectar, the summer flower is ideal for bee pasture. Due to the large number of flowers and the long flowering period, the pretty lantana is an important food source for butterflies and bees.
Why are lantana so popular?
The flowers keep changing their color and bring a very special charm to the balcony and terrace all summer long. However, the species Lantana montevidensis does not change color and the Mediterranean plants bloom reliably in the garden.
Are Lantana poisonous?
The care of the lantana should be carried out with gloves, since the plant parts are poisonous. Symptoms of poisoning can occur if parts of the plant or the black fruits are swallowed.
How can Lantans be propagated?
Lantans can be easily propagated by cuttings. The best time for this is late summer. Use a knife to take cuttings from healthy plants. The cuttings root optimally in seed trays or in a seed set with a transparent cover. In addition to propagation by cuttings, sowing is another method of propagation.