Someone once said, "A weed is a plant growing in the wrong place." or something to that tone. I think of that often as I weed through my garden. Lantana's are not fond of our sometimes cool/wet summers. I have tried and failed several times because I like their colors. But I grow some invasive weeds myself that I have loved and hated in the 25+ years we have lived on this lot. Ivy for my hedges and butterfly bushes are very unpopular in my area for their invasive natures in natural settings. (They were planted by highway departs 30 years ago along freeways) Both have nasty ratings with govermental agencies that keep track of such things for my region now. I used to have a variety of colors of the butterfly bushes but am down to only one. I pull hundreds of seedlings yearly, and have to literally hack the remaining plant several times a year (and it still has lots of flowers for birds and butterflies.) I have seen a butterfly bush growing on the third floor of a burned out abandoned building so I guess this is a good area for them to grow. The best and worst of the invasives in my neighborhood are the gray squirrels (introduced a decade or so ago) and filberts (I planted the filberts). The gray squirrels now plant hundreds of filbert nuts every fall. All the neighbors have these little weed trees in their yards. Not even the dogs got any filberts this year, but I will pull and pot and weed lots of little trees every spring and summer. Having gardened in the same space for decades it is interesting to see how attitudes have changed about many garden plants. Some regional plants used to be pulled up and dumped and now are rare and purchased and cared for as "natives for naturalizing". As yards and green spaces get smaller it will be interesting to see how attitudes continue to change.
Cheryl, here are the photos of the white and the purple lantanas that I promised. Sorry they are a bit late, but my "rechargeable" batteries didn't, so I had to get new ones! The purple lantana photographed pink, but believe me, it is purple. My pictures aren't as fine as yours, but I try, I try! ( photo / image / picture from marlingardener's Garden ) The hanging waterer next to the white lantana is for the butterflies. It has pebbles in the bottom so the butterflies don't drown (they are notoriously bad swimmers!). ( photo / image / picture from marlingardener's Garden )
Marlin... love both of them. I must keep an eye out for both the purple and white ones. And that butterfly bath is just TOOOOO cute!
The first plant I planted in my new yard was lantana. The butterflies and hummingbirds love it. I planted a plumbago, butterfly bush (forget the name...smells like honey) and lantana side by side. The lantana is the most popular with the hummers. I don't like the tall saw grass..that has to be invasive.
I wasn't familiar with the name, but then saw the pictures. How can anyone call that a weed? Its Beautiful!
I can't believe a gardener thinks lantana is a weed. I grow about thirty here. They can take the heat and are heavy with butterflies. I let mine go dormant and put them in my stormhouse and have had the same ones for years. I grow the Real Pests too like wisteria and ivy.
Bethie, judging from the reply I got from the lady who called lantana a nasty weed, I really don't think she was a gardener. I think she is one of those who wants a greenery that plants itself, is self-watering and self-pruning, and blossoms gloriously all year around! And, oh yes, is free! Lantanas are real butterfly magnets, aren't they!
I love Lantana! It is an annual here and loves my hot summers. I have to say, I do think it has a stinky smell though. But it makes up for it with the pretty, colorful blooms. One weedy flower around here is the blue Ageratum. It tries to "take over the world" if left to it's own devises.
Well,i always say. If it looks good,doenst destroy your garden, then just leave it where it is. Lantana is one of those plants you leave in your garden and dont feel bad if you wanna take it out.
My Lantana is actually one of the plants I have started my new garden with! I love the dainty little flowers that make up the flower. I have a creamy white colored plant now. I have had "Bandanna Lantana" before, the first time I ever saw this plant! I was in awe of how one flower could consist of orange, pink, and yellow petals.
Oh WOW THey are all so pretty. Those white ones and purple ones are so eye catching. The Dalla Red is simply gorgeous. All the Lantanas in this thread made me rather nostalgic. They used to grow here, pracically in every garden as shrubs as hedges, as general decoration... and about a decade ago we were told to remove them from our gardens and the nurseries do not even sell them anymore. THEY HAVE BEEN DECLARED INVASIVE ALIENS.
I like lantana too - esp the pink/yellow like Cherylad's first photo. I planted some for the first time in the summer. I'm glad to hear maybe it will come back next year. I thought it was an annual. The "weeds" to me are vine-y things: Wisteria (indestructible), Virgin's Bower, Virginia Creeper, honeysuckle... I've made peace with the Virgin's Bower and leave it in a few places; the others require regular search and destroy expeditions! Also two trees: mimosa (the fragrance from their lovely flowers is awesome but they seed everywhere and ruin my beds if I don't get to them and those roots are impossible to pull) and sasafras.... Oh well! Could be worse!
Palm tree, I'm sorry to hear you can't have lantanas. We have invasives here in Texas also, plants that are banned from nurseries and are eradicated when found. None of our invasives are as pretty and useful as lantana, though. Daisy, I agree about mimosa. When we lived in town there was one across the street, and I had mimosa seedlings in all my flowerbeds! Lantanas are perennial, and overwinter here in 8b/a just fine. I usually cut mine back to a 3 or 4" stump after a killing frost. It helps keep the plant compact.
I love them too, because the butterflies flutter through them. I have the white, lavender and yellow variety. i just saved some seed this past fall, and hope to start next spring.
