Common Lantana Lantana camara
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- lahn-TAHN-ah kah-MAR-ah
- This plant has medium severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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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:
- Butterfly Garden at Rob Wallace Park Plant Walls and Hedges Paul J Ciener Botanical Garden Pollinator Haven Garden in Sanford, Lee County Juniper Level Botanic Garden: Sunken Pond Garden
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- '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'
- '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'
- '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'
- '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.
Compact mounding habit, orange, rose or pink cultivars
Pink and yellow cultivar that is cold hardy to 7b
Orange and yellow flowers, cold hardy to zone 7b. Resistant to phytophthora. - 'Alba'
- '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:
- 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'
- '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'
- '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'
- '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.
Compact mounding habit, orange, rose or pink cultivars
Pink and yellow cultivar that is cold hardy to 7b
Orange and yellow flowers, cold hardy to zone 7b. Resistant to phytophthora. - 'Alba'
- '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:
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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.
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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
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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
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Blue
- Purple/Lavender
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- berry-like drupe turns metallic blue or purple-black
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Umbel
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- 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.
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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
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Square
- Stem Description:
- Spiny, square stems
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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
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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
