Lantana flowers are really diverse and pretty.  They come in various shades of pink, yellow, orange, red and purple. While people love them, the butterflies and hummingbirds love them too! I started buying them about two years ago to be centerpieces in some of my hanging baskets up against the house. I usually surround the lantana flowers with zinnias (see my blog titled “Zanny Zinnias”).
What is cool about the lantana plant is that it starts out as one color and then as it matures, additional colors pop out. In some areas, Lantana plants are perennials. In zones cooler than 9, lantana plants are annuals.  Where I live, it is zone 5 so this plant is an annual only, but it blooms from late spring to fall. I usually buy my lantana plants before Memorial Day weekend each year.
Since lantanas plants are hybrids, they recommend that you do not grow them from seed. One way to save the plant is to cut it back and bring it in the house over the winter which I will try this year. Another option is to take a cutting and propagate it with a root hormone. If the prior option doesn’t work this year, I will try the root hormone method the following year.
Since some varieties will get as tall as 36 inches, I am going to put some in the ground next year to add some interest to my flower bed in the front yard.
