The Lantana (Lantana camara) with its attractive flowers, which change color from the moment they open until they fade, is one of the most popular ornamental plants for the garden and balcony. So that you can identify the plant without a doubt, we have summarized the most important generic characteristics here.
The lantana belongs to the verbena family
The Lantana - a verbena plant
Vervain plants (Latin Verbenaceae) are a large family of plants with about 75 genera and 3,000 species. They are closely related to the mint family. Many popular ornamental trees such as the Lantana belong to this plant family. They are predominantly native to tropical and southern Africa and tropical America.
One of the best known and at the same time largest representatives of this family is the teak tree, which can reach a height of up to fifty meters. Verbena is a species that has been abducted worldwide and is now also growing wild in our country. It is a nitrogen indicator in patchy weed corridors and grows wild along paths, walls and fences.
growth habit
Verbena plants are mostly herbaceous, thriving small shrubs with often square stems. The leaves are arranged opposite, like the lantana, ovate and solitary. Rarely, leaves grow in whorls, which can then also be in three parts.
The flowers are racemose like those of the lantana, sometimes also spike-shaped or arranged zymös. Pollination is by insects. The lantana also exudes a very characteristic scent that attracts numerous bees and butterflies.
The growth form of the Lantana
The Lantana grows up to 100 centimeters tall. The flowering period extends from June to October. If the flower umbels are not cleaned regularly, it forms many small, bright black fruits in autumn.
Many Verbena plants are poisonous
Wear gloves when doing any work on your lantana and make sure that children and pets cannot accidentally nibble on the plant. Like many Verbena plants, Lantana is highly toxic in all parts of the plant, especially in the fruit.
tips
Lantana, which is very popular in our latitudes, is a dreaded weed in warmer regions that overgrows huge areas and is difficult to control.