Evergreen Shrub Of The Day

Lantana camara

Yellow Sage, Lantana, Shrub Verbena

Type Shrub, woody plant

Hardy range 8B to 11

Height 4' to 6' / 1.20m to 1.80m

Spread 36" to 6' / 90cm to 1.80m

Growth rate Fast

Form Irregular or sprawling and rounded

Exposure Partial shade or partial sun to full sun

Persistence Evergreen

Bloom Color Orange, pink, red, salmon, white and yellow

Bloom Time Year 'round

The flowers are fragrant and very showy.

Environment This plant tolerates drought and salt well.
This plant will grow in very dry soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy, sandy or clay.
The pH preference is an acidic to alkaline (less than 6.8 to more than 7.7) soil.

Leaf Color Green
Fall Color No change in fall color

This plant has attractive foliage and fragrant foliage.

Culture Notes Surviving on poor soil and hot, dry, sunny locations, Lantana may produce fewer blooms if given too much water and fertilizer. Plants should be pruned in spring or late winter to remove dead wood. No other maintenance is required. Plants will grow back from the roots in the spring in USDA hardiness zone 8b and south. Plants do not die back in climates that stay above freezing temperatures. Plants attract butterflies and hummingbirds.

These plants have invaded citrus groves and other agricultural and roadside landscapes throughout Florida. All parts of the plant are poisonous if ingested. There are more than 40 cultivars listed. They are distinct in their flower colors.

Planting and establishing shrubsThe most common cause of young plant failure is planting too deep. Plant the root ball no deeper than it was in the nursery. In most instances, the root flare zone (point where the top-most root in the root ball originates from the trunk) should be located just above the landscape soil surface. Sometimes plants come from the nursery with soil over the root flare. If there is soil over this area, scrape it off. The planting hole should be at least twice the width of the root ball, preferably wider. In all but exceptional circumstances where the soil is very poor, there is no need to incorporate anything into the backfill soil except the loosened soil that came out of the planting hole. Never place ANY soil over the root ball. If a row or grouping of plants is to be installed, excavating or loosening the soil in the entire bed and incorporating organic matter enhances root growth and establishment rate.

Weed suppression during establishment is essential. Apply a 3-inch thick layer of mulch around the plant to help control weed growth. Keep it at least 10 inches from the trunk. If you apply it over the root ball, apply only a one or two inch layer. This allows rainwater and air to easily enter the root ball and keeps the trunk dry. Placing mulch against the trunk or applying too thick a layer above the root ball can kill the plant by oxygen starvation, death of bark, stem and root diseases, prevention of hardening off for winter, vole and other rodent damage to the trunk, keeping soil too wet, or repelling water. Regular irrigation through the first growing season after planting encourages rapid root growth, which is essential for quick plant establishment.

Please feel free to comment on any post at any time. All feedback is welcome and we’d love to receive all of your thoughts.



Thank You