Plant 7 Lantana Camara

Big-sage

Description:

Growth Form: Evergreen shrub with a rounded or spreading growth habit.

Foliage: Opposite leaves are narrowly ovate to ovate with serrate leaf margin.

Flowers: Fragrant flowers are bright red to orange. Flowers are arranged in rounded clusters known as umbels.

Fruits: Fleshy fruits are known as drupes. The seeds are typically not viable, because 95% of its pollen is sterile.

Cultivation: This cultivar is easy-to-grow and fast-growing. After establishment, it will thrive even under poor growing conditions, such as drought and nutrient poor soils. It will flower best under full sun. The green, unripe fruits are toxic upon ingestion, so it is best to prevent fruiting by promptly removing spent flowers. To promote bushy growth, remove the growing tips by pinching them off. This cultivar can grow aggressively, so restrain its growth with regular pruning or pot it in a large container. Potted plants will flower better if they are allowed to become slightly rootbound. If whiteflies become a problem, spray the upper and lower leaf surfaces with a pesticide containing neem or pyrethrum. It is also susceptible to scale insects and leaf chewing insects.

Ethnobotanical Uses: None