What happened to my lantana? (pics)

11 years ago

I live in the Panhandle of Florida. This summer has been hot (but not overly hot) and it has rained nearly every day since the beginning of June. I have three kinds of lantana planted in the yard: lavender, yellow, and "ham-n-eggs." I planted 6 plants this year and 4 plants last year (that came back bigger and better than ever). The first to show distress was the ham and eggs lantana. The leaves started to appear "burned" and brown on the edges. There didn't seem to be any other symptom: no apparent bugs, etc. I chalked it up to normal plant loss. Then my bigger and grander lantana bushes stopped flowering and also looked burned. We've treated with a fungicide thinking it might be something fungal. However, the leaves just appear burned and not spotted or anything. Last summer those same big lantana thrived and it was a terribly hot and humid summer with very little rain.

I've attached a pic of the grander lantana but the ham and eggs are the most pitiful looking plants. The lavender lantana is affected, but only by not flowering. The plant itself looks fairly healthy.

Any ideas on what this is and what to do about it would be greatly appreciated!

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Comments (7)

louisianagal
11 years ago
do a search for lantana lace bugs or lantana spider mites. you should be able to compare and see if that is what yours have and then read the treatment for it.
I had some a few years back had the same thing. I just cut it back. Moved it. Looks fine this year.
southernroots
10 years ago
I had an issue with lace bugs last August, and resorted to cutting them back to about three inches from the ground. I knew it wasn't the time to transplant them and I wasn't excited about using a fungicide, so I decided to cut back and hope for the best. They grew back within a few weeks and are great again this year.

I determined it was a lace bug issue after doing research, and finding what looked like small pieces of light brown lace on and under the lantana.
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rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
10 years ago
Just to straighten out any confusion....a fungicide is not the type of chemical one would turn to for a lacebug problem but an insecticide. Personally, I like cutting them back to the ground.
zzackey
10 years ago
They like it dry. We had wild ones where we used to live. They only got rain water.
Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
10 years ago
Did something lay on it? It looks flat but pics can be deceiving. Is it in the sun all day (when there IS sun?)

If that were my plant, I'd cut all of that off. They often die to the ground over winter anyway, although certainly not this past one.

Should be upright (and trimmed, but just not worth the mosquito bites!)
gary882
10 years ago
Mine have had the same problem. It is caused by a sucking insect or mite which I have not been able to identify. I tried spraying with insecticidal soap to no avail, but then found an on line article suggesting the use of a systemic insecticide such as the one made by Ortho (formerly called Orthene). The treatment is to spray weekly for 4 weeks. I just sprayed for the 3rd time and my lantanas are coming back great. I don't promote the use of insecticides, but this is the only thing I have found that will control the problem. Just be careful with the spray.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
10 years ago
Gary, did you know that systemics end up in the nectar and pollen? There is no 'being careful with it '. Take a look at all of the pollinating insects that visit your lantana all day long ; hummingbirds, too.

It's not that difficult to determine what the pests are on a lantana.....there are very few options. Once a proper identification is made, it is much easier to find a solution. But systemic insecticides should not be used on a plant that is so popular with bees, butterflies and other pollinators.