Lantana Plants – Caring for Your Lantana

Question: “I want to add some lantana plants to my garden, because I’ve heard they can handle the hot summers we have in Austin. Is this a good type of plant to use in dry areas? And how do I care for them to grow them quickly?”

You’ve heard right. This hardy plant can tolerate hot and dry spells fairly well, with only occasional watering. So they will do nicely in your location. I say “they,” because there are more than 100 different species within the Lantana genus. These are perennial flowering plants that will live for several years, when cared for properly.

Trailing lantana is one of the most popular species used for landscaping purposes, especially in the southwest. It’s also referred to as creeping or purple lantana. It gets those names because of its purple flowers and “crawling” growth pattern. This type of plant can grow into a nice sized shrub, and you can train it to grow where you want just by trimming it.

Image: Trailing lantana used in a desert landscaping project. This is a fairly young specimen.

Keep in mind, these plants are toxic. That’s what makes them deer resistant. They can also be harmful to people, when ingested. So use common sense. Don’t plant them where a dog, horse or cow could munch on them.

Image: This picture shows a close-up of the purple flowers on the trailing lantana.

Caring for Lantana

These are pretty easy plants to care for, especially if you choose the best species for your climate. You’ll have to do some research to find out which of the species are good for your area. Most of them can thrive in USDA zones 5 and above. I believe you are in zone 8 or 9, so most of the lantana plants will do well in your area.

These plants do well in full sun, but they can thrive in partial sun too. Once they get established, you probably won’t have to water them much — only in times of severe drought. That’s why so many landscaping companies use them in hot and dry climates.

You will have to trim the branches periodically, to prevent them from being overgrown. This is especially true for the trailing / crawling lantana, which really lives up to its name. There’s not much to this at all. Just clip the parts that are overreaching. You won’t harm the plant if you do a little bit at a time.

I hope that answers your question. Good luck with your landscaping project.