Lantana

Lantana camara

Lantana is one of the most durable, heat tolerant annuals for Oklahoma.  It is native to south Texas and Mexico where it grows as a shrub.  This plant will perform as a fast growing annual that will have showy blooms throughout summer and until frost.  Its cascading nature and rugged growth will quickly fill large flowers beds and containers.  They can grow to heights of 2-5' with a spread of 3-6'.  Lantana comes in a vast array of colors which include: yellow, white, pink, red, lavender & orange.

When To Plant: In late spring or early summer after all chance of frost is over.

Where To Plant:  It will do well in almost any soil as long as it drains well.  It prefers full-sun, but will tolerate a few hours of shade.

How To Plant:  Loosen the roots a little prior to planting. Plant at the same depth they are in the container, but dig the hole a little wider.  They should be planted about 18-24" apart, depending on the size of the original container.  Mulch to minimize weeds and retain soil moisture.

Care and Maintenance:

• If grown in too much shade, powdery mildew could be a problem.
• Routine feeding helps promote blooming.
• Prune occasionally if your plants get lanky or start growing too large for their area.
• Lantana is very drought tolerant, but performs better with occasional watering.