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Lantana urticoides (lan-TAN-a ur-tih-KOY-deez) is a plant member of the Verbena (Verbenaceae) household.
It has many names, and it’s possible you’ll hear it known as:
- Lantana horrida var. latibracteata
- Lantana urticoides var. hispidula
- Lantana hispida
- Lantana horrida
- Lantana scorta
- Lantana notha
The vegetation’ frequent names are Texas Lantana or Calico Bush. Though most members of this plant household are tropical, Calico Bush is a Texas native. It additionally grows wild in Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Arizona, and Mexico.
This perennial, compact (2’ to six’ toes excessive and large) spreading shrub grows naturally in woodlands and brushy areas. Nonetheless, this extremely adaptable plant can develop fortunately alongside roadsides, gravelly settings, open fields, thickets, and swamps.
Texas Lantana’s squarish stems and twigs are coated with flaky grayish-brown bark. Older vegetation develop thorns.
The vegetation’ leaves and younger stems are fragrant and a bit furry, and like its a number of verbena cousins, this plant produces considerable aromatic clusters of tiny flowers in shades of yellow, orange, and purple.
The bloom time is mid-spring via mid-autumn. Blooms transition into clusters of darkish bluish-black berries within the fall.
How Do You Develop Lantana Urticoides?
Texas Lantana is straightforward to develop, and in contrast to lots of its family members, it doesn’t pose a menace by way of invasive conduct.
This rugged, cheery plant thrives in all kinds of soil varieties however prefers gravelly, sandy, poor soil.
Because of this, it is a wonderful alternative for areas in danger for erosion. It can be used as a border plant, a focus in a pollinator backyard, a container plant, and far more.
Refer to those 5 ideas when rising Lantana urticoides:
1. Present Heaps Of Heat And Solar.
The calico plant is winter hardy in USDA hardiness zones 8 and above. It grows enthusiastically in vivid, scorching, full solar or mild shade.
The plant grows nicely all 12 months spherical in desert and tropical areas that by no means freeze. Nonetheless, it dies within the winter and fortunately returns within the springtime in settings with cooler winters.
2. Encourage Development And Blooms With Sensible Pruning.
It’s a good suggestion to assist the plant by chopping the branches again after the primary frost. You may additionally want to prune periodically all through the rising season to manage measurement and progress, present form and encourage blooms.
Flowers kind on new wooden. The blooms are very enticing to butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds and supply a supply of nectar.
Put on gloves when dealing with and pruning this plant as a result of its sap could cause a pores and skin rash. Wash up totally after you end pruning.
Pruning and deadheading may even assist forestall flowers from transitioning into berries. Though the berries of this plant are edible to birds, they’re poisonous to different wildlife, pets, livestock, and youngsters (as are the vegetation’ leaves and stems.)
Stopping berry formation can scale back the danger of unintentional poisoning and unintentional unfold of the plant. Birds are likely to distribute the berries broadly.
Though birds and pollinators are interested in this plant, deer, rabbits, and different potential backyard nibblers dislike it. Sadly, it additionally tends to repel backyard insect pests.
3. Water As A Wildflower.
This plant has minimal water necessities and can do nicely when watered deeply after which left to its personal gadgets till the soil is sort of dry.
4. Present Wonderful Drainage.
Whether or not you plant your Calico Bushes in containers, raised beds, or straight into the panorama, make sure the soil is mild and well-draining. Containers ought to have ample drainage holes.
5. Feed Sparingly Or Not At All.
These vegetation do splendidly in poor soil, so fertilizing is just not mandatory. Whenever you put together your soil earlier than planting, amend it with natural matter, comparable to compost. Add some effective gravel or coarse sand for drainage.
In areas with chilly winter temperatures, present a layer of mulch or unfinished compost if you prune the plant for winter. This can defend the plant’s roots and supply nourishment because it breaks down via the winter and springtime.
Propagation Of Texas Lantana Is Straightforward
This plant spreads by itself by merely producing and dropping seeds. Nonetheless, as talked about, birds distribute seeds far and large.
If you happen to want to go to the difficulty, you possibly can permit the plant to go to seed, collect the seeds, dry them and save them to plant; nonetheless, propagation by division is simpler and supplies higher management.
To propagate Lantana urticoides by division:
- Wait till after you’ve got carried out your fall pruning.
- Divide and relocate massive clumps presently.
- Give your new transplants a mulch overlaying to guard them via the winter.
Extra On Rising Lantana
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