Why dont' you like your lantana. I've had both, and prefer the lantana way more than verbena. Verbena tends to get real rough looking during the hottest part of the summer. Now I'm talking in full sun. It might hold up better with afternoon dappled light. Plus so many more wonderful colors of Lantana to choose from than there is in the verbena.

easy

My tree has gotten big enough to shade the lantana so that it gets really straggly with no blooms. Thought the verbena might work, but maybe I will rethink if verbena gets ugly too!

yes, my gold lantanas love this heat and full sun. they are blooming like crazy! the purple ones seem to like the shadier spots and do better there then in the full sun. i have had verbena, in both shady spots and mostly full sun (late afternoon shade) and they have struggled in both spots. i think the ones in the sun got fried and the ones in the shade got a little too soggy in the location i had them.

have you tried trimming your lantana way back after winter? i usually cut them almost to the ground after the chance of frost and they come back just as vigorous and full bloom like the year before.

i know some people don't like the lantanas (you see them everywhere), but they sure have been a reliable source of color in my yard durring these hot summer months and can take a lot of abuse.

Lacy verbena usually dies off in summer but will come back in fall. However, it naturalizes and may not stay in the area that you want it in. Sandpaper verbena usually stays and will be fine but will also naturalize. If you want ground cover for shady areas..you can try ice plants, vinca minor, wedelia, hearts&flowers, wandering jew..etc.

... or interplant your lantana with verbena! They're really different plants; the verbena is a short-lived but re-seeding plant. The variety of colors you can get it in is as nice as the lantana (light & dark purples, red, white, pink, etc.) and I prefer the texture, but it doesn't get as big, either.

I agree with Usha's suggestions, and would add the Artemesias - both "Powis Castle" (silver) and "Limelight", a variegated green and yellow plant that doesn't mound like Powis castle. Also, for shady areas, Sanseveria (usually the indoor plant called "mother-in-law's-tongue") does really well here, and more places are carrying many different cultivars. It's not a ground cover, but will add some interest with its taller spikes.

HTH!

Here's some verbena that we let grow in our backyard. DH just mows around it.

{{gwi:414411}}

So pretty.... must not taste so good, the sheep doesn't like it, huh?

Yeah, it must be really nasty for those girls to leave it. They nibble the bermuda from around it. The "goaty" girls like to lay in it, not Ethel, of course, she likes nice dry dirt. In the shade.

Oh my gosh...a HUGE yard....drool! ;)

Easy

I like the way you can prune the latana into hedges. It is a nice plant for our heat I also like the latana with all the colors the pink,yellow mixture. It is one reliable plant that puts color in the garden without a lot of work. I have a few purple ones in pots, but my daughter has them in her yard pruned into hedges and I like the look of it, also she has some boginvilla inter twined with the lantana it looks good. I like verbena too, I can't believe Judy has it growing in the heat of the summer without shade, she must live where it is cooler. I like verbena in hanging baskets.
I don't see why you can't keep both plants together it might look pretty growing in the verbena.
Carrie

Carrie, it's PLENTY hot here in NE Phoenix! >:( I think what happens to the verbena is that some die in the heat but others come up and start growing as they are allowed to go where they want. Maybe also being in the grass keeps them going a little longer.

has anyone heard of santos rough verbena? i picked up a 1-gal at walmart for $3.52. good price for 1-gal container plants.

detrick

What color is it? Picture, hmm?