Lantana camara

Characteristics: Our 'Anne Marie' Lantana is a multi-colored bloomer. 'Anne Marie Lantana' will do wonderfully in zones 8-11.

Light: Be sure to plant your lantanas in full sun. They will soak it up!

Water: Although lantanas are drought tolerant, their outstanding performance will be affected if they are too dry for too long - I recommend a thorough watering once a week. Remember to avoid overhead watering which can make plants more susceptible to diseases and root rot.

Soil: Lantanas will thrive in soil with a pH from 6 to 7.8 (mildly acidic to mildly alkaline).

Use: Attractive to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, lantana is one of our longest-standing favorite flowers.

Extras: A light clipping of tip growth will encourage repeat blooming - taking a fourth of the growth every once and again will help the plant flush. If you lightly fertilize newly cut back plants, they will return to bloom quickly.

If you live in an area where lantanas are perennial, cut back hard in the early spring to remove old growth and prevent woodiness, to about 6 to 12 inches from ground level. DO NOT hard prune in the fall - this can cause reduced cold hardiness.