They are the floral hit in the summer garden and on the balcony. Lantana fascinate us when they seem to change the color of their exotic flowers according to their mood. How you can also enjoy the graceful play of colors is explained in detail in the following answers to frequently asked questions.

The sunnier the Lantana is, the more changing flowers it has

Plant lantana correctly

Plant a young lantana in a sufficiently large tub or flower box in mid/end of May (€16.99) so that no repotting is necessary during the year. Our tip: Put varieties for the bed in a pot that you sink into the ground. Bring this out in autumn to overwinter the ornamental tree frost-free. Only fill in a structurally stable container plant soil, permeable and rich in nutrients, when you have inserted shards of pottery over the bottom opening as drainage. Meanwhile, the still potted root ball is soaked with soft water until no more air bubbles rise. Save the previous planting depth when you plant the now potted Lantana camara in the ground. A well-measured sip of lime-free water professionally rounds off the planting process.
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care tips

You will experience a lantana in floral top form when the distinctive flowering shrubs are given this care program:

  • Keep the substrate constantly moist with lime-free water
  • Water twice a day on hot summer days
  • Fertilize liquid weekly from March to September
  • Cut off wilted flowers promptly for a long flowering period
  • Carry out all maintenance work with protective gloves

In the fall, cut off the remaining blossoms and any berries to allow for the ornamental tree, including the pot and flower box. In a bright location, hibernation succeeds at temperatures between 10 and 15 degrees Celsius. Water less and please do not apply fertilizer from October to February. In February/March, cut back the tropical flowering shrubs by up to 75 percent and repot the plant in fresh substrate.
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Which location is suitable?

Lantana develop their picturesque play of colors only in a sunny and warm location. If the daily yield of sunshine is more than 4 hours, you can look forward to a never-ending flowering period from spring until well into autumn. The exotic ornamental shrubs only take their place under the open sky when the temperatures permanently exceed the 15 degree mark.

The right planting distance

With the professional measurement of the planting distance, the special growth behavior of the Lantana comes into focus. The majority of Lantana camara from the popular Bandana, Esperanta or Tropic hybrid series thrive more than twice as wide as they are tall. The beauties of the Luxor series even triple their growth height in width. With a planting distance of 40-50 cm you are exactly right in the bed. For cultivation in balcony boxes, reduce this value by 5-8 cm.

What soil does the plant need?

A noble flowering shrub should not be confronted with cheap potting soil from discounters. So that the lantana can show off its magical play of colors to perfection, a high-quality potting soil with a pH value of 6.0 to 6.5 is on the shortlist. The standard soil ED73 Classic with natural clay and white peat has proven itself well. For cultivation in large tubs, the focus is on the pot substrate CL Perl Classic, which is structurally stable and has a high air capacity for the roots. Specialist retailers offer premium-quality soil with Gepac B&B, with high-quality components and extra iron fertilizer to prevent leaf chlorosis.

What is the best planting time?

The lantana found its way to us from the sunny, warm tropical regions of the world. The ornamental tree is correspondingly sensitive to the cold. The time window for planting only opens when the mercury column permanently exceeds the 15 degree mark. In Central Europe, this is the case from the middle/end of May at the earliest.

When is flowering time?

The Lantana lives up to its reputation as a permanent bloomer with a flowering period from May to October. In order to maintain this blossom festival over the long period of time, the wood needs your horticultural backing. Cut out the withered flowers regularly, because the next buds are already waiting underneath. Please use sharp, disinfected scissors for this, as the shoots become woody over the course of the season.
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Cut lantana correctly

During the summer growth and flowering period, the secateurs are only used when you cut off the withered flowers. Otherwise, the Lantana would like to be left alone. The only exception is cutting the most beautiful flower stalks for the vase or bouquet. To do this, cut shoots with just opened flowers for a long shelf life. The flowering shrub receives its central shape and maintenance cut in February/March, when the hibernation is nearing the end. At this point, cut off the shoots by up to two-thirds. The more courageously you go to work, the more lush the next bloom will be, since the verbena plant always blooms on this year's shoots. When making the cut, please ensure that you position the scissors a few millimeters above an outward-facing, sleeping eye. You can recognize a sleeping eye as a slight thickening under the bark.
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watering lantana

Do not let the substrate dry out. The sunnier the location, the thirstier the lantana is. However, only water when the surface of the soil has dried to prevent waterlogging. On hot summer days, it is not uncommon for the plant to be watered in the early morning and again in the evening. Please use mostly soft water, as the tropical beauty knows from her homeland.

Fertilize lantana correctly

You will meet the desire for a high nutrient supply if you fertilize the lantana weekly from March to September. Alternatively, apply a slow-release stick or cone fertilizer in March, May and July. Stop fertilizing in October to allow the plant to mature before hibernation.
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Diseases

It is the high water requirement that also makes the lantana susceptible to botrytis, the gray mold that is widespread in the garden. In particular, plants that have been weakened as a result of neglect in care are part of the prey scheme of the fungal spores. If a gray lawn of mold spreads out on the leaves and shoots, there is an urgent need for action. Immediately cut off all affected parts of the plant to dispose of them in the household waste. Put all the general conditions of cultivation to the test in order to initiate any improvements. An effective control agent has not yet been developed.
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pests

Lantana is often plagued by penetrating whiteflies. Sticky traps have proven effective against these pests. You hang these glue-coated panels in the infested plants. Get rid of the annoying aphids with the classic soft soap solution.

hibernate

A successful overwintering is less delicate than the tropical origin would suggest. Put your lantana in good time when the temperatures fall below 15 degrees Celsius in autumn. Before that, only cut off the withered flowers and any fruit, as the best time for the main cut is at the end of the winter dormancy. This is how the evergreen shrubs get through the winter healthy and lively:

  • Place in a bright window seat that is not in full sun
  • Temperatures between 10 and 15 degrees Celsius
  • The more leaves fall off, the less watering
  • Do not fertilize from October to February

In February/March, cut back the lantana vigorously and repot it in fresh substrate. In the period that follows, gradually get the stressed tree used to sunny light conditions and higher temperatures before it takes its place in the summer garden from mid/end of May.
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multiply lantana

With the help of half-lignified head cuttings, you can grow more lantana in no time at all. To do this, cut off non-flowering shoots with a length of 10-12 cm in summer to defoliate the lower half. Proceed with these steps:

  • Fill small pots with peat sand or potting soil
  • Plant two-thirds of each cutting and water
  • Put a transparent bag over it to create a humid and warm microclimate
  • Set up in a partially shaded, warm and wind-protected location

In the following period keep the substrate slightly moist with soft water. To prevent rot from forming, air the cover several times a day. If a cutting drives out fresh, the rooting is successful and the hood can soften. Take care of your pets throughout the winter in a bright, cool window seat, just like their adult counterparts. You will have vital and strong young plants in your hands until next spring.
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Is lantana poisonous?

All members of the Lantana genus are poisonous in all parts. Unfortunately, the ever-popular Lantana camara tops the toxic ranking. The poison content is primarily concentrated in the berries. Intentional or unintentional consumption manifests itself in dramatic symptoms resembling deadly nightshade poisoning. The ornamental tree has no place in the family garden and within reach of pets. As a gardener, please take this into account by wearing gloves and long-sleeved clothing for all planting and care work.
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Beautiful varieties

  • Cherry Sunrise: Premium bicolored variety of the large-flowered Bandana series with orange and pink flowers; 60-150cm
  • Calipo Gold: Bushy, tautly upright Lantana variety with magical golden flowers for pots and window boxes; 40 cm
  • Esperanta Pink: Magnificent ornamental tree with pink flowers and an extra-long flowering period from May to October; 35-40cm
  • Lucky Peach: The Lantana spreads Mediterranean flair with changing peach nuances; 35-40cm
  • Tutti Frutti: floral quick-change artist with blossoms in orange, pink, violet and yellow; 50-150cm
  • Bandana Red: Summer flowers in bright red tones, blooming profusely in beds and pots; 50-150cm
  • Lucky Lemon Cream: The lantana of the Lucky series puts on a cream-yellow flower dress; 35-40cm
  • Luxor Yellow: The small variety convinces with yellow flowers and a broad, bushy habit: 20 cm high

Category:

Indoor plants