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Propagating lantana

30 Comments on Propagating lantana»

1. My lantana has white spots on the leaves, which are very leathery. Any suggestions?

   Lantana normally will exude a white sap from the leaves that can become white, leathery spots when dry. This sap is used in soap, and medicine.

   Comment by Dennis — 3/28/2005 @ 5:52 pm

2. My lantana froze in the winter and is leathery and bad looking. Should I cut it back?

   Yes, cut is back and see what will come back. Depending on where you live chances are it did not winter over. Lantana is hardy in zone 9-12.

   Comment by Renee — 4/6/2005 @ 5:18 pm

3. I have lantanas in my backyard can I pull them with them dying and place at the front of my yard please let me know quickly

   You can transplant lantana. They like a sunny spot. Be sure to water well when you move them.

   Comment by erma mason — 5/5/2005 @ 3:07 pm

4. Do you need to remove the berries after the blooms have faded to encourage additional blooms?

   Yes, the berries are there to produce seeds and take energy away from flower production. By removing them, the plant will continue to utilize its energies to produce flowers.

   Comment by Jeffries — 6/9/2005 @ 2:30 pm

5. Are lantana poisonous??

   Yes, it is poisonous. It contains lantanin and other compounds that cause gastric intestinal irritation to animals and humans. All parts are poisonous, including the berries. Not all species of lantana are toxic. To be on the safe side, avoid any lantana consumption. Check out the U of GA website for more details.

   Tammy ( spittle_tammy@bellsouth.net / )
   My son rubbed up against a Lantana plant that was planted outside a store establishment, and broke out in a rash.. It almost looked like poison Ivy. Could someone please tell me why this plant would do this?

   Lantana contains lantanin, a triterpenoid and other compounds which can irritate stomach lining as well as the skin. All parts of the plant are toxic, and some people are more sensitive to the plant than others. The berries are poisonous.
   source> WV State U.

   Comment by Anonymous — 6/15/2005 @ 4:06 pm

6. Something is attacking my lantana. The leaves are lossing their color and wiltering, with black or burnt - looking lplaces around the edges. This the second season this has happened. Help

   Although Lantana doesn’t seem to have to many pests & diseases; some types are susceptible to fusarium wilt and pythium root rot, ( fungal diseases). On the other hand you could be overwatering it, they like it on the dry side. Try planting it in a different spot next year, and look for resistant varieties.

   Comment by Shelanco — 6/22/2005 @ 3:18 pm

7. I find it difficult to believe anyone would want to plant/propagate lantana; it’s one of the worst pasture pests we have in Hawaii. If you want to kill it, it is sensitive to Glyphosate. Nothing else works…

   Comment by Michelle — 6/27/2005 @ 9:54 am

8. I was fertilizing my lawn with weed & feed and threw some in my lantana. It wilted a bit and the flowers are now gone (one week later). Anyway I can revive it? Will it come back?

   Lantana needs little fertilizer, with too much it will stop flowering, unfortunately the weed part may have injured your plant. If just the flowering is affected not the rest of the plant then, I think it will revive. Water it (not too much)and hopefully the chemical will leach out of the soil.

   I asked for help (7/2/2005) about having used weed and feed in my lantana. The additional watering you advised worked great! This was, by far, it’s best summer ever… over 4 feet in height and very bushie. Not looking forward to winter and having to cut it back.

   Thanks for the comment!! Don’t worry it will grow back even better - if you have to prune it again

   Comment by Gary — 7/2/2005 @ 10:06 am

9. I was just wondering if & when the best time is to trim/prune lantana , & the best method to do so

   Hi Scott
   Best time to prune lantana is after they go dormant or before new growth starts in the spring to remove old growth. During the growing season you can prune anytime to remove old flowers and berries also to maintain a compact growing habit. Cut dead canes to the ground in mid-winter, if the roots survived new green growth will emerge from the base of the plant in the spring. Lantana will not survive in colder climates and is grown as an annual.

   denise ( antman2@earthlink.net / ) (IP: 24.110.42.234 )
   Scott commnded on 8-14-05 about how and when to cut back lantana? I live in Florida and I went a little overboard hedging my lantana. Now it looks like an eyescore. The branches and brown and straggly but there seems to be some green growth coming on them. Some say I should cut it all the way to the ground. I am afraid to do so because I want it to grow back quickly. What should I do? I have a purple and a yellow lantana growing together, and I don’t expect any cold weather until after December. Confused and desperate!

   You have the option of cutting it down further because you have enough time for it to grow back. Since there are signs of new growth on your already pruned branches, I would let that grow because it will fill in faster than if you pruned it to the ground. If you prune back too late in the season you may run the risk of freezing the new tender growth.

   denise
   I commended on 8-19-05 about been desperate and confused about cutting my lantana back just a little too far. Well, I took your advise and left it alone and low and behold my lantana is growing like a weed. I must share that I that experimented with liquid ironnite and it really made a difference. the lantana is healthy and flowers are beginning to bloom. Try using it I works ! Denise from Florida
   Thanks for your comment Denise!!

   ALISON SMITH
   WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO TRIM MY LANTANA IN NORTH CAROLNA

   Prune in the spring around the 2nd week in March before new growth emerges.

   Comment by Scott — 8/14/2005 @ 4:07 pm

10. Dennis commented on 3-28-05 about white spot on his lantana. I also am having that problem on New Gold Lantana. How do I fix this problem?

    I need more information. Are these little white spots all over the leaf? Does the leaf have a dull yellow-mottled grayish look to it? We have to determine if it is an insect or a disease. Check for spider mites. Place a piece of white paper at the underside of a leaf and tap on the top of the leaf-see if there are any tiny specs moving on the paper. Look for spider webs in the leaf axils and underside of the leaf (a magnifying glass works well). If there are you have spider mites. Otherwise, we’re back to square one. In addition, Lantana will ooze a white sap from the leaves which will become leathery. Ther is no harm to the plant.

    Comment by Tina — 8/17/2005 @ 8:14 pm

11. I live in MO,I have Lantana growing in pots and planted in the ground. Can I pot them and put them in the basement over the winter? do I need to cut them back and give them less light?Carol

    You can bring them into the basement to winter over. If your winters aren’t too harsh you can also try the garage. Low light and little water. I would wait on the pruning till spring, then cut away anything that might have died over the winter.

    Comment by Carol — 9/10/2005 @ 3:31 pm

12. I just want to know what is the life cycle of lantana?

    Depends on where you live. In the north, Lantana is grown as an annual; Grows fast and will bloom most of the summer requiring little care. In the warmer climates, it is grown as a perennial(hardy zone 9-12) and blooms even longer. It can be trimmed back in early spring to promote new growth. In parts of Hawaii, it grows like a weed and is considered an invasive plant.

    Comment by Nicola — 3/6/2006 @ 4:03 am

13. I live in Colo.—cold winters. Can I bring in potted lantana and put it in a crawl space which is dark and moderate temperature?

    Storing lantana in the crawl space should work. Keep an eye on it occassionaly so the soil doesn’t completely dry out(bone dry).

    Comment by Dave Cran — 9/18/2006 @ 11:11 pm

14. I have several colors and sizes of lantana that did well this year in zone 7. Now they all have berries, from new to wrinkled and black. What would the optimal time be to pick these berries for planting next year; new and green/red, or dry and black?

    thanks ahead of time for the reply

    The dry and black seeds should be ripe enough to pick. They are poisonous so keep away from children and pets.

    Comment by Bert Lindsey — 9/27/2006 @ 2:18 am

15. I live in Hawaii and hired professionals to plant Lantana in pots along my driveway where it would receive full sun most of the day. It is watered automatically twice a day. It did well for about 2 months but now I’ve noticed that the leaves are turning yellow and the buds have turned black. I don’t see flowers anymore. Any ideas what could be the problem?

    Aloha,
    I suspect the overwatering may be the problem. Twice a day may be too much, lantana like it better on the dry side. Too much water can cause root rot caused by a fungus. Cut back on the watering, make sure that it gets a chance to dry out between waterings.

    Hi,
    Thanks for your help! As you had suspected, it was the overwatering that was killing my plants! I stopped watering, let it dry out and soon enough, I saw flowers! Not even a month has passed and there are flowers again. Mahalo (Thanks!)
    -cherie
    You are welcome!

    Comment by cherie — 1/4/2007 @ 5:00 pm

16. I noticed several leaves have turned distinctly yellow with brown tips, and have gone crispy. This is occuring on three of my four lantanas (the red/yellow-blossom ones – the purple-blossom one is unaffected). It isn’t bad yet, but I’m afraid something might be wrong. I live in Phoenix and water them about every other day.

    You may want to cut back on the watering-they like it on the dry side and to much water can rot the roots causing yellow leaves and brown tips.

    Comment by Juliet — 4/4/2007 @ 7:12 pm

17. My sunset lantana looks just as it did last year except some of the blooms will come in a pale funny color. Is this normal? Can I fix it?

    The flower color may be affected by the amount of sunlight, temperature, ph of the soil and nutrients the plant is getting at this time. The flower color on lantana can also change as they age.

    Comment by LeAnne Casey — 5/30/2007 @ 6:36 am

18. I live in the Cayman Islands. My lantana is growing well and low to the ground. When and how should I prune to encourage it to become more bushy and taller? I do not know the variety, but it has pure yellow blooms - if that helps.

    You can cut back lantana anytime during the growing season. Tip pinching (cutting back growth to a leaf node) will promote new bushier growth, thereby making it taller.

    Comment by nickey — 6/4/2007 @ 2:42 am

19. Does Lantana like alkaline or Acidic soil? Does it need iron if the leaves are yellowing? I live in DFW Texas area. 3 out of 7 Lantanas are getting yellow leaves. I have done Miracle Grow 2 times in the past 2 weeks…blooms and size of plants have doubled. WE are getting TONS of rain here though. Not sure it the yellowing is due to all the rain or if they need more acid or iron?

    Lantana prefers slightly acid soil with a ph of 6.5 or lower. They usually don’t require much fertilization - too much will cause them to bloom less and become susceptible to disease. Although there are some varieties of lantana that are heavier feeders and get fertilized every 2 wks. I would suspect too much rain as the yellowing problem and hold off on the Miracle Grow for now. The roots may be drowning from all the rain. Lantana prefers well drained moist but not wet soil and are drought tolerant.

    Comment by adrienne — 6/24/2007 @ 5:52 pm

20. I can’t seem to get the right amount of watering. Very hot during the day and when I notice my lantana, it looks dead. Isn’t it drought resistant? Or is that only when planted in the ground? When I water, then it turns yellow and brown. What am I missing?

    Lantana tolerates dry conditions BUT when its very hot and its growing in a container it will dry out much faster than if it was growing in the ground. On very hot days even full sun plants may need to move it to a shaded area just to survive the heat. Hanging baskets should be kept evenly moist and not be allowed to dry out completely. When a basket dries to the wilting point and then is deluged with water it causes a lot of stress on the plant resulting in yellow /brown leaves.

    Comment by cherie — 7/12/2007 @ 3:28 am

21. LANTANA FROM SEEDS
    I live in central New Jersey. Each year I spend a lot of money on lantana. How can I perserve them from year to year? Will they flourish indoors? How should I handle the seeds and when should they be planted & how?

    You can bring them into the basement to winter over in a semi-dormant stage , a garage would also work as long as temps don’t get below freezing . Another alternative is to overwinter them indoors in a sunny window or take semi-ripe cuttings in late summer to start new plants. The seeds are black when they are ripe. Plant them in late winter.Germination for lantana is 42-60 days and seeds should be planted 1/8″ deep in peaty soil. Another trick is to soak the seeds in hot water for 24 hrs. before planting.

    jeff ( edmonsoncory@yahoo.com / ) (IP: 68.185.159.138 )
    HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR A LANTANA TO GERMINATE? I HAVE HAD SOME IN A POT FOR 2 WEEKS AND THERE IS NO SIGNE OF GROWTH. I USED THE BERRIES AS SEEDS.

    Warm weather plants such as lantana require warmer temperatures (72-76 degrees) to germinate. Cooler temperatures can delay seed germination. Germination for lantana is 42-60 days and seeds should be planted 1/8″ deep in peaty soil. Another trick is to soak the seeds in hot water for 24 hrs. before planting

    Comment by Celia Walker — 7/18/2007 @ 10:30 am

22. Hi, I also live in Phoenix and have had yellow/orange lantana bordering my front yard for at least 15 years. I cut it back every year after the frost and it grows back beautiful. This year, however, all my lantana is dying. It has always been watered the same way, when the sprinklers are on and it shoots over them. Any suggestions? I am not doing anything different this year. We had a very hard freeze this year however.

    Eventhough things may be the same, your plants may have been stressed and weakened from the freeze. Under favorable conditions lantana will grow for many years and come back from the roots but when it is stressed too often from factors such as drought, hard freeze, overwatering , too much shade then it can slowly die. You need to determine what factors your plant is suffering from-perhaps too much water? Is the sprinkler leaking more water on the plants than you thought or are the plants too dry?

    Comment by Jo Ann White — 7/22/2007 @ 3:56 pm

23. In the spring my lantanas burst forth in bloom.These blossoms last a long time but when they fall off, the plants don’t bloom anymore that year.I thought lantana was a repeat bloomer.What do I need to do?

    Lantana should blooms all summer. One thing you can do is to prune back the tip growth and lightly fertilize to promote new lateral growth and more flowers. They need full sun and little fertilizer as too much will produce much green growth and no flowers. Flowering will also decline when the plant is allowed to produce seeds(berries).

    Comment by Sylvia — 9/19/2007 @ 10:36 am

24. Someone gave me a lantana plant about eight months ago when it was just a tiny sprout – they had no idea what it was, and I didn’t either, so I just tossed it in a reasonably-sized pot and let it do its thing. I finally managed to identify it the other day, and… my poor plant doesn’t look the way it’s apparently supposed to. It’s about a foot and a half tall, with a woody stem up to the last six inches, where it has big full leaves. It seems healthy and happy, but lantanas are supposed to be *bushes*, right? Is there anything I can do at this point to turn my Lantana Tree into something resembling what it’s supposed to look like?

    Pruning Lantana: In warmer climates, lantana can be grown as a bush up to 4-6 ft. tall (depending on cultivar), otherwise as an annual or perennial. It can be tip pruned periodically during the summer to maintain a bushy shape and produce more flowers. If it gets too big you can cut it back by 1/3 during the growing season. It sounds like you need to give it a hard pruning by cutting the plant back 6 inches above the ground. Hard pruning should be done in the spring to avoid cold damage in winter.
    source:clemson.edu

    Comment by Monica — 9/26/2007 @ 1:53 am

25. My lantana is huge I want to bring it indoors for the winter. Do I need to dig it up and place it in a pot and keep it in the basement? OR can I propagate it to make new starts for next Spring? OR can I do both?

    If you need to bring it indoors because it is not hardy in your area, pot it up and keep it in the basement, garage or crawl space. Be sure it doesn’t get exposed to below freezing temperatures. Give it low light and little water so the plant doesn’t dry out. Prune in early spring anything that might have died over the winter. Best time to propagate lantana is spring/summer with new established growth. Another option is to keep it indoor as a houseplant.

    Comment by Vivian — 10/10/2007 @ 9:55 am

26. My neighbor gave me 4 white lantana plants that are potted. I live in middle Tennessee and they have suffered through a few frosty nights before I got them. The stems are brown and the pot is filled with dead leaves. All the leaves on the plant still are crispy. There are dried up berries on the tips of each one. Can these plants be saved as they look totally dead? Should I just pick the berries, toss the current plants and start over, prune it back to 6 inches above or leave it as it is and hope for the best?

    Leave them as they are until winter is over then trim the plants in early spring. If they survive the winter they should show signs of new growth when the weather warms up. The roots are most likely still alive and the plant is “resting” thru the winter. Store the pots in a protected area away from freezing temperatures. You can also try starting new plants from seeds. Be aware the seeds are poisonous.

    Comment by Heather — 11/29/2007 @ 11:01 pm

27. We live in LA, lantana loves it here. We have one large bush that lives in semi-shade. Its leaves have a lot of brown spots on them, though the plant keeps growing and flowering. No nearby plant has these spots. We never fertilize it, the soil is sandy. It gets sprinkled twice a day for 2 minutes, but it had these spots before we got the sprinklers. Any ideas? We haven’t had good luck transplanting such large lantana - they really get shocked badly.

    It’s hard to determine what is causing the brown spots. Two possibilities are a leaf spot caused by a fungus (Pseudocercospora guianensis) or Lantana lace bugs- they feed on the underside of leaves but the damage shows up on the upper surface. The insect also leaves brown patches of black droplets of excrement on the underside of the leaves. At this point, I would eliminate the water sprinkling on the leaves. If it is a fungus you are giving it the right environment to continue growing. You may want to take a specimen in to an extension office for ID. source: ifas.ufl.edu

    Comment by Bill — 1/6/2008 @ 5:15 pm

28. hi i live in las vegas and i work in apartments all of my lantanas are dying/dead they are just sticks is there anyway to get them back and if so how? watering,feed, a good kick in the ass i just dont know

    Cut the sticks back leaving 3-4 inch stumps and make sure the plants aren’t totally dried out. If they are water them enough to keep the roots moist not soaked. If the roots are alive, they should sprout new leaves when the weather starts to warm up. Once you get new growth give them a dose of 10-10-10 or a balanced fertilzer to jump start or as you say give them a good kick in the ass.

    Comment by B.R.A.N.D.O.N.. — 2/19/2008 @ 12:33 pm

29. I have both yellow and purple lantana planted in the same area. they get full sun and water as needed. my yellow plant produces loads of flowers but my purple plants on produce a few….very few. my favorite color is purple…..

    Seeing that all variables are the same, water and sun, I’m also presuming that you are not fertilizing either plant as fertilizer can cause the plant to produce lots of leaves and little flowers. I have found that the yellow lantana is a hardy bloomer, whereas some of the colored hybrids don’t preform as well.

    Comment by sheila hamilton — 3/6/2008 @ 1:33 pm

30. I have had a lantana under a tree for many years and now there seems to be a lot of bush weeds growing thoughout the entire plant. What should I use to kill these weeds? It seem that pulling them out is impossible. Do you have any suggestions that would not harm the plant. I have a lot of empty spots from pulling the weeds out, but now all that grows back is more weeds HELP.

    HI Denise
    Good old fashioned pulling weeds is what does the best & safest job. Because the weeds are growing throughout the plant, any weeds sprayed with an herbicide will also harm the plant. When you pull them out, cover the empty spots with several layers of newspaper or black plastic and put 2-3 inches of mulch on top, this should keep the weeds from resprouting and eventually kill them. Be vigilant and keep cutting away the interspersed weeds in your lantana and eventually they will give up.

    Comment by denise — 5/8/2008 @ 7:31 pm

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