Sizzling Summer Lantana
The summer temperatures are heating up and gardeners are looking for plants
that stand up to the conditions. Today I’m at Mississippi State University’s
Truck Crops Branch Station looking at sizzling summer lantana. When you’re
looking for a tough summer plant that tolerates the hot summer temperatures
it’s hard to beat lantana. Lantana is available in a variety of sizes and
colors. Desert Sunset will grow up to 42 inches tall. The flowers are a wonderful
combination of yellow, gold, and peach. Lantana makes a good companion plant.
Look at this combination of Desert Sunset with salvia Blue spires. Another
attractive variety is Lucky Sunrise Rose. It features pink and white with
yellow throats that contrasts well with the dark green foliage. This plant
has an upright and mounded growth habit and is well-mannered through the
season. There are new lantana varieties being evaluated by MSU researchers.
The Luscious series features colorful selections of Citrus Blend, Grape,
Tropical Fruit, and Lemonade. Luscious Lemonade is really exciting because
it has a spreading habit and will be a great selection for use as a ground
cover. Lantanas also are excellent when used in the butterfly and hummingbird
garden. The small funnel shaped flowers hold the sugary nectar these garden
entertainers look for. Lantana should be planted in the full sun for best
flowering performance. During periods of low rainfall and high temperatures
lantana flower colors will make your landscape pop. I’m Gary Bachman for
Southern Gardening.