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dirtmecnanic

Managing Lantana

dirtmecnanic
13 years ago

I was given a pair of almost bare-rooted Lantana plants, planted them where they get full afternoon sun. KaBlooey !! These things have done wonderfully, getting much larger than I anticipated.

With the recent freeze, I can tell they are deciduous, so my question is how and when I prune them for next summer. Do I cut them to the ground, if so, when. Or do I remove all but the main stems and shape these to an overall shape?

Thanks to all who respond

Comments (4)

  • wally_1936
    13 years ago

    From my first websearch after seeing your post
    Paul

    Lantana can be pruned back to a few inches above ground level in the winter or very early spring. Light pruning in the summer will keep the plant looking tidy and encourage more blooms. Its fine to prune more heavily during the growing months but don't remove more than one third of the plant's size or you risk shocking the plant You can find more information at http://www.gardenguides.com/107053-lanta...
    Hobiegirl, Answers Expert

  • manda3
    13 years ago

    Here in DFW they are almost an annual. The best chance they have is to wait until they leaf out in spring to prune back the dead growth. If you do it that way, they'll keep getting larger and larger. But if you want it smaller, just cut it back severely after it leafs out. :) If we have a long lasting freeze, they may not make it. I have one large lantana next to a red yucca. I trim that one back year round so it doesn't completely overtake the yucca. They grow very fast, so just keep on an eye on them. :)

  • carrie751
    13 years ago

    I live in North Texas and my lantanas come back each Spring. I do not prune them until very late winter or better still, early Spring. I usually cut mine pretty close so as to keep them under control for the area they are in.

  • tx_ag_95
    13 years ago

    I'm in Lewisville and have pruned in early winter, after the first freeze, and late spring. The first year I had the lantanas (Dallas Red & Confetti) I cut them back to the ground (left short stubbs) and mulched them in early January. Since then I've left them to let the wildlife eat the berries and to provide cover thru the winter. Everything came back this spring but the Dallas Red were exceedingly slow in coming back this spring. They're in the front yard, east facing with more shade from trees than the Confetti in the backyard that's west-facing with late day shade. The Confetti that I transplanted from the backyard to the front yard did just fine, once it recovered from the shock of transplanting.

    I haven't had them really leaf out from the stems in the spring unless it was a mild winter. I think we're a bit too far north for that. But, they come back just fine from just above the ground and reach a decent size by mid-summer. I mainly treat them as a perennial that might not return in the spring. I trade the slow start in the spring for the annual expense of replacing them.