Lantana camara 'Radiation'
(lan-TAN-ah)
shrub verbena
VERBENACEAE
Lantana are a genus of the verbena family and there consists about 150 species. They are evergreen shrubs and stemmed perennials.
All are native to the warmer parts of the Americas, and a few popular in southern Africa.
They are sometimes a notorious weed of many tropical and subtropical regions. One very notable lantana would be the lantana camara.
There are several species that have been cultivated for southern landscapes, sometimes being grown as a standard or hanging basket.
Lantanas prefer fertile, well-drained soil and, of course, full sun. If grown in a container, the plant can be top-dressed in the spring.
Zones 9 - 11 or 12.
Transplanting
Best time to transplant lantana is in the winter. However when I lived in Northern Florida I transplanted them anytime of the year and they did well.
The first time I transplanted a lantana I cut it back by 2/3 (leaving it about 2-3 ft high) and it looked like it was dead for a couple of weeks. However, it came back great and did well. Easy to transplant. A simple root system. I just dug it up and moved it. Since I was not going very far, I just left the dirt on the roots.
Pruning
To promote a bushier habitat, tip pruning should be encouraged.
We let ours grow rampant to 4-5 feet, but I have seen neighbors who keep theirs pruned to 2 feet (like around a mailbox). Therefore, I would try to prune it frequently and do not always cut off the new growth.
Propagation
Take a cutting form the end growth. Make sure there is at least two nodes and snip off any blooms. Keep the soil moist but not wet to create rotting.
Do not fertilize until there is a pretty good root system growing.
Acclimate back into the full sun....
Some varieties will root better than others.
Pests
Lantanas are generally not bothered by most insects or diseases, but be on the lookout for whitefly and spider mite.
If you think you have mites and other insects rinse off with a solution of soap water. Something like Dawn or Ivory from the kitchen sink. 2 tbs in a gallon of water. In the early morning rinse and then rinse with regular water form the hose. Do not do in the middle of the day. Water droplets will magnify and burn the leaves.
You might also want to pinch back any dead or dying branches.
Winter-over
Further north than, say, zone 8, lantana goes a little dormant or completely dormant for the winter season.
Further south, you may get some tiny blooms thru the winter, and some new growth on the balmy days or weeks, but even in Zone 10 this shows its best in the spring and summer .
Also depending what variety the lantana is (each has its own particular way of growing) but for the most part just mulch and little keep moderately watered and do not fertilize 'til mid-late February.
Very far north, if possible you can bring in the lantana plant for the winter months. Sometimes this will work. Storing in the cellar should work. Giving it a tad of water so it does not completely dry up. It may get thin and spindly but if there is a good root system it should make it through the winter months.
In the spring do not encourage growth till after it is safely over the last frost date. Getting plants to respond too early and only getting hit by the unexpected cold will only stunt the plant, even maybe for the entire season.
Not all lantana respond well through the winter, some do winter over better than others. There are many varieties. Naturally the native ones to particular areas (especially in the very southeast) do well and live a life of their own no matter.
Poison
In her book, "Wicked Plants," Amy Stewart says that "If ingested, the berries can cause visual problems, weakness, vomiting, heart problems, and death.'