Lantana CAMARA

Lantana CAMARA - Common lantana, Lantana camara, Prickly lantana, Wild Sage, Shrub Verbena, Yellow Sage.

Can be grown in bonsai style!

Lantana is a genus of flowering plants in the Verbenaceae family, uniting shrubs, subshrubs, and perennial herbs originating primarily from tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas and Africa. The plants are known for prolonged blooming, leaves that are fragrant when crushed, and dense corymbose inflorescences.

The flowers of many species change color as they open, so a single inflorescence simultaneously combines yellow, orange, pink, red, or white tones. The fruits are fleshy berry-like drupes, usually dark blue, purple, or black when ripe.

In cultivation, lantana is valued as a profusely flowering plant for gardens, terraces, balconies, and containers. It is grown in the open ground in warm regions, and in areas with freezing winters as a seasonal annual or potted plant with wintering in a bright cool room.

Common lantana is a spreading evergreen shrub usually 0.5 to 2 m (1.6 to 6.6 ft) tall, sometimes higher when supported. The shoots are quadrangular, scabrous, often with small prickles. The leaves are opposite, ovate, rugose, with a serrate margin and a characteristic pungent scent when bruised.

Inflorescences are terminal and axillary, hemispherical, consisting of numerous small tubular flowers. The corolla coloration often transitions from yellow and orange in the center to pink, red, or lilac at the edges of the inflorescence. Blooming can continue uninterrupted throughout the entire warm season.

Lantana seeds are enclosed within small berry-like drupes. Their coat is dense, so germination can be uneven and protracted.

Before sowing, the seeds are kept for 1-2 hours in a 1% potassium permanganate solution, then soaked for 12-24 hours in warm water with the addition of a growth stimulant: SUPERthrive, HB-101, Aminozol, Epin, or Zircon. Sowing is carried out in a sterile loose substrate with the addition of sand or perlite, with light covering of the seeds. The sowing is moistened from a spray bottle and placed in a mini-greenhouse. Germination is carried out under bright diffused lighting and a temperature of about 24-26 °C (75-79 °F). The substrate is kept slightly moist, but not wet, and sowings are regularly ventilated.

Under favorable sowing conditions, the first sprouts may appear in about 2-4 weeks; the main germination often takes 4-8 weeks, while individual seeds can take longer. Pricking out is carried out after the formation of several true leaves and noticeable strengthening of the seedlings. Young plants are transplanted into small pots with loose drained substrate and gradually accustomed to brighter light.

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For lantana, the brightest possible location with direct sunlight for at least several hours a day is chosen. With inadequate light, shoots stretch out and flowering weakens. In summer, container plants after gradual acclimation can be kept outdoors in a warm sunny spot.

During active growth, lantana thrives on warmth, good lighting, and air movement. The plant does not tolerate frost, so in cool climates wintering is conducted in a bright cool room. In warm regions, it is important to take into account the species' invasiveness and prevent self-seeding where the plant can spread beyond the garden.

Watering is carried out after the top layer of the substrate has dried out. In summer, the plant is watered regularly, but without waterlogging. In cool conditions, watering is reduced because soggy substrate and low temperatures quickly lead to root problems.

For planting, a loose, moderately fertile, and well-drained substrate is used. Coarse sand, perlite, or zeolite is added to the substrate. Drainage is placed at the bottom of the pot, and the pot itself is selected to be stable, with drainage holes for water runoff.

Fertilization is carried out moderately during the period of active growth using fertilizer for flowering container plants. Excess nitrogen is not used because it promotes foliage growth at the expense of blooming.

Pruning is carried out to maintain a compact shape and stimulate branching. Shoots are shortened gradually without heavily weakening the plant. For a standard form, side shoots on the lower part of the stem are removed, and the crown is shaped by regular pinching. Repotting is carried out as the pot is filled, preserving a loose substrate and good drainage.