Common Name Type Family Native Range Zone Height Spread Bloom Time Bloom Description Sun Water Maintenance Suggested Use Flower Leaf Attracts |
trailing lantana Broadleaf evergreen Verbenaceae South America 8 to 10 1.00 to 1.50 feet 3.00 to 5.00 feet June to frost white Full sun Medium Low Annual Showy Fragrant Butterflies |
Winter hardy to USDA Zones 8-10 where plants will thrive outdoors as sprawling, low-growing shrubs featuring continuous bloom throughout the year. Plants are easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. Plants tolerate part shade, but best flowering is in full sun. Plants thrive in lean, sandy, slightly-dry soils. In St. Louis, plants must be grown as annuals or in containers that may be overwintered indoors in bright, cool locations. Another option is to take cuttings in late summer from favorite plants for overwintering. Many gardeners elect to purchase new plants each spring in 6-packs rather than trying to overwinter plants or cuttings from the previous year. Container plants are less tolerant of dry soils than plants grown in the ground, and accordingly should be watered regularly and never allowed to dry out. Noteworthy Characteristics Lantana montevidensis, commonly called trailing lantana or weeping lantana, is native to tropical areas of South America. In frost free areas, it grows as a low, trailing, woody shrub to only 12-20″ tall, but spreads by vine-like stems to 5′ wide or more. It is typically grown as a dense ground cover. It features hairy, opposite, coarsely-toothed, ovate, dark green leaves (unpleasant aroma when bruised). Leaves can be a skin irritant. Clusters (to 1 1/2″ across) of tiny lilac to purplish-pink flowers with yellow throats bloom profusely throughout the year in frost free areas. Flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies. In other zones, trailing lantana is grown as an annual, with flowers blooming from spring to fall frost. Flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies. Trailing lantana has escaped gardens and naturalized in parts of the southern U.S. including Florida, the Gulf Coast and southern California. Genus name comes from the Latin name for Viburnum transferred to this genus. |
Information on this page is generally from Missouri Botanical Gardens, Dave’s Garden, All things Plants or Texas Superstar |
This page last updated or reviewed 210627