Lantana is a wonderful addition to your garden for attracting both butterflies and hummingbirds. Last week while at the garden nursery looking at roses, I suddenly thought it would be nice to add some plants to the yard that would attract butterflies. A very helpful employee showed me many different plants, and told me that most plants that attract butterflies also attract hummingbirds. I was immediately attracted to the lantana with its many beautiful colors.
Lantana is considered a perennial in areas that don’t have hard frosts, but in colder climates, it’s treated as an annual.It grows well in both the ground and in containers, and is very popular because of its extended blooming season. I learned that In some areas it flowers all year round. This is the first time I’ve grown lantana in my garden, so I’m not sure how long we’ll have flowers. I’ll have to let you know.
Lantana should be planted in full sun, because it’s prone to mildew if grown in a shady location. It should be watered deeply, but not too frequently once established. Lantana is drought tolerant which is especially nice here in California. An occasional feeding of mild fertilizer is good, but too much water and fertilizer can actually cut down on bloom. As you can see from the above photos, I have four different colors in the garden. I brought home three last week and my husband surprised me yesterday with the lavender one in the top photo. I love all four colors and so do the butterflies. I’ve already noticed a few fluttering around the new plants, and I’m sure there will soon be more.
