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Lantana camara

Previously known as:

  • Camara vulgaris
Phonetic Spelling
lahn-TAHN-ah kah-MAR-ah
This plant has medium severity poison characteristics.
See below
Description

Common lantana is an annual or perennial, small, broadleaf evergreen shrub in the Verbenaceae (verbena) family that has woody stems but a sprawling habit. It is 1 to 6 feet high and 3 to 5 feet wide. It is native to the West Indies and Mexico to Tropical America. 

Lantana prefers full sun in moist, well-drained soil, but will tolerate poor soil and drought. It is known for its salt tolerance and will grow as a perennial in the warm coastal areas of North Carolina. Some varieties, such as 'Miss Huff', 'Ham and Eggs', and 'Chapel Hill Yellow' are frost-hardy in the Piedmont region. 

The showy flowers – attractive to butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators – appear from midsummer until the first frost and come in a wide range of colors.

Common lantana is often used as a houseplant, in hanging baskets, or in pollinator and flower gardens as a cultivated woody shrub or groundcover. This plant does grow quickly and aggressively so plan its location accordingly.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: 

Whiteflies and spider mites can affect plants kept over the winter. In certain areas of the country with more tropical climates common lantana is weedy or even invasive. Leaves and unripe, green berries can cause minor skin irritation. It is toxic to livestock such as cattle, sheep, horses, and goats. Some cultivars have shown excellent resistance to phytophthora. See Phytophthora Root and Crown Rot in the Landscape.

VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcovers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens. 

Profile Video:
See this plant in the following landscapes:
Paul J Ciener Botanical Garden Butterfly Garden at Rob Wallace Park
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Alba'
    Called White Trailing Lantana. Low growing cultivar with white flowers.
  • 'Anne Marie'
    Boasts Bi-colored flowers in yellows, oranges, pinks, red/fuchsia
  • 'Bandana Lemon Zest'
    Flowers are light to deep yellow. Ideal hanging plant.
  • 'Bandana Trailing Gold'
    Deep gold flowers. Trailing habit ideal for groundcover.
  • 'Bandito' Lantana Bandito
    Compact mounding habit, orange, rose or pink cultivars
  • 'Bandito Orange Sunrise'
    Outer orange flowers becoming yellow towards the center.
  • 'Chapel Hill Yellow'
    Pale yellow flowers, long lifespan, fast growing.
  • 'Dallas Red'
    Flowers are red with orange overtones and yellow centers.
  • 'Ham and Eggs'
    Pink and yellow cultivar that is cold hardy to 7b
  • 'Little Lucky Peach Glow'
    Referred to as Bigleaf Lantana in the Little Lucky series. Flowers are gold, salmon pink and peach blends.
  • 'Little Lucky Red'
    Compact, heavy bloomer in the Little Lucky series. Shades of blended gold, orange and red flowers.
  • 'Lucky Pot of Gold'
    Golden-yellow flowers. Compact habit. Little Lucky series.
  • 'Miss Huff' Background plant with Monarda didyma, summer, Moore County
    Orange and yellow flowers, cold hardy to zone 7b. Resistant to phytophthora.
  • 'New Gold'
    Low growing habit can spread up to 6' wide. Golden yellow flowers.
  • 'Radiation'
    Referred to as Red Sage. Can grow to 4-6' tall and wide. Dual toned red-orange and yellow.
'Alba', 'Anne Marie', 'Bandana Lemon Zest', 'Bandana Trailing Gold', 'Bandito', 'Bandito Orange Sunrise', 'Chapel Hill Yellow', 'Dallas Red', 'Ham and Eggs', 'Little Lucky Peach Glow', 'Little Lucky Red', 'Lucky Pot of Gold', 'Miss Huff', 'New Gold', 'Radiation'
Tags:
#fragrant#hummingbird friendly#deciduous#poisonous#full sun tolerant#fragrant flowers#heat tolerant#houseplant#drought tolerant#shrub#purple flowers#pink flowers#fragrant leaves#salt tolerant#medicinal#orange flowers#interiorscape#low maintenance#apvg#cottage garden#accent plant#hanging baskets#fast growing#salt spray tolerant#aggressive#summer flowers#deer resistant#groundcover#pollinator plant#poor soils tolerant#small group plantings#butterfly friendly#apvg-a#problem for cats#problem for dogs#problem for children#problem for horses#tropical feel#contact dermatitis#container plant#problem for cattle#perennial#annual#weed#landscape plant sleuths course#th-smell#cpp
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Alba'
    Called White Trailing Lantana. Low growing cultivar with white flowers.
  • 'Anne Marie'
    Boasts Bi-colored flowers in yellows, oranges, pinks, red/fuchsia
  • 'Bandana Lemon Zest'
    Flowers are light to deep yellow. Ideal hanging plant.
  • 'Bandana Trailing Gold'
    Deep gold flowers. Trailing habit ideal for groundcover.
  • 'Bandito' Lantana Bandito
    Compact mounding habit, orange, rose or pink cultivars
  • 'Bandito Orange Sunrise'
    Outer orange flowers becoming yellow towards the center.
  • 'Chapel Hill Yellow'
    Pale yellow flowers, long lifespan, fast growing.
  • 'Dallas Red'
    Flowers are red with orange overtones and yellow centers.
  • 'Ham and Eggs'
    Pink and yellow cultivar that is cold hardy to 7b
  • 'Little Lucky Peach Glow'
    Referred to as Bigleaf Lantana in the Little Lucky series. Flowers are gold, salmon pink and peach blends.
  • 'Little Lucky Red'
    Compact, heavy bloomer in the Little Lucky series. Shades of blended gold, orange and red flowers.
  • 'Lucky Pot of Gold'
    Golden-yellow flowers. Compact habit. Little Lucky series.
  • 'Miss Huff' Background plant with Monarda didyma, summer, Moore County
    Orange and yellow flowers, cold hardy to zone 7b. Resistant to phytophthora.
  • 'New Gold'
    Low growing habit can spread up to 6' wide. Golden yellow flowers.
  • 'Radiation'
    Referred to as Red Sage. Can grow to 4-6' tall and wide. Dual toned red-orange and yellow.
'Alba', 'Anne Marie', 'Bandana Lemon Zest', 'Bandana Trailing Gold', 'Bandito', 'Bandito Orange Sunrise', 'Chapel Hill Yellow', 'Dallas Red', 'Ham and Eggs', 'Little Lucky Peach Glow', 'Little Lucky Red', 'Lucky Pot of Gold', 'Miss Huff', 'New Gold', 'Radiation'
Tags:
#fragrant#hummingbird friendly#deciduous#poisonous#full sun tolerant#fragrant flowers#heat tolerant#houseplant#drought tolerant#shrub#purple flowers#pink flowers#fragrant leaves#salt tolerant#medicinal#orange flowers#interiorscape#low maintenance#apvg#cottage garden#accent plant#hanging baskets#fast growing#salt spray tolerant#aggressive#summer flowers#deer resistant#groundcover#pollinator plant#poor soils tolerant#small group plantings#butterfly friendly#apvg-a#problem for cats#problem for dogs#problem for children#problem for horses#tropical feel#contact dermatitis#container plant#problem for cattle#perennial#annual#weed#landscape plant sleuths course#th-smell#cpp
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Lantana
    Species:
    camara
    Family:
    Verbenaceae
    Uses (Ethnobotany):
    The stalks are used as raw material for paper pulp. Lantana bark is astringent and used as a lotion in leprous ulcers and other skin eruptions. Lantana camara leaves are boiled and applied for swellings. Alkaloids from lantana have been found to stimulate intestinal movements, lower blood pressure and accelerate deep respiration. It has been found to have antimicrobial, fungicidal and insecticidal properties.
    Life Cycle:
    Annual
    Perennial
    Woody
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Division
    Seed
    Stem Cutting
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    native to the West Indies, Mexico to Tropical America
    Wildlife Value:
    Lantana flowers are very attractive to butterflies, berries are eaten by birds.
    Play Value:
    Attractive Flowers
    Attracts Pollinators
    Wildlife Food Source
    Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
    Some cultivars resistant to phytophthora.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Annual
    Ground Cover
    Herbaceous Perennial
    Houseplant
    Perennial
    Poisonous
    Shrub
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Arching
    Erect
    Prostrate
    Rounded
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Maintenance:
    Medium
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    High Organic Matter
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Available Space To Plant:
    12 inches-3 feet
    3 feet-6 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Black
    Blue
    Green
    Purple/Lavender
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Fruit Type:
    Drupe
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    0.3 in. orange or red fleshy berry-like drupe turns metallic blue or purple-black
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Orange
    Pink
    Purple/Lavender
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Umbel
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Long Bloom Season
    Long-lasting
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Star
    Tubular
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    1 - 2 in. spherical clusters of tubular white, red, pink, or yellow flowers, with five lobes in a flat-topped cluster on a long stalk.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Rough
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Opposite
    Whorled
    Leaf Shape:
    Ovate
    Leaf Margin:
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Width:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Description:
    Simple, opposite or whorled, toothed, ovate, fragrant when crushed
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Green
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Cross Section:
    Square
    Stem Description:
    Spiny, square stems
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Coastal
    Container
    Hanging Baskets
    Houseplants
    Pool/Hardscape
    Landscape Theme:
    Butterfly Garden
    Cottage Garden
    Drought Tolerant Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Design Feature:
    Accent
    Mass Planting
    Small groups
    Attracts:
    Butterflies
    Hummingbirds
    Pollinators
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer
    Drought
    Heat
    Humidity
    Salt
    Problems:
    Poisonous to Humans
    Problem for Cats
    Problem for Children
    Problem for Dogs
    Problem for Horses
    Weedy
  • Poisonous to Humans:
    Poison Severity:
    Medium
    Poison Symptoms:
    Vomiting, diarrhea, dilated pupils, labored respiration, weakness, Liver failure - more common in livestock; the leaves may cause dermatitis.
    Poison Toxic Principle:
    Pentacyclic triterpenoids, Triterpenes (lantadene A & B)
    Causes Contact Dermatitis:
    Yes
    Poison Part:
    Flowers
    Fruits
    Leaves
    Sap/Juice