Lantanas lead fall garden fest celebration

By Norman Winter

If the plant world celebrated Oktoberfest, lantanas would be front and center leading the party. As far as The Garden Guy is concerned, it could be a fall lantana fest.

Now don’t get me wrong they were among the toughest, perseverant performers of the long hot summer. But come September and October, the relief from torrid temperatures brings the lantanas even more blooms, richer colors and lusher foliage. They too seem to be in celebration mode.

I know many of you are already seeing snow and freezing temperatures. If you are happy I am happy for you. If you are lamenting this sudden change in climate then head south, we would welcome you with open arms. Here in Columbus, Ga., the last week in October, the butterfl ies are abundant and the hummers are feeding on lantanas getting fat for the long trip to the tropics.

The landscape fl oral show is mesmerizing; could these lantanas really be so beautiful? I say that while thinking of Luscious Grape. Not the fruit, but the purple fl owered Luscious Grape lantana part of an award-winning series. Luscious Grape is different from the others in the series, in that it is a Lantana montevidensis selection, native to South America.

Luscious Grape is a multi-award winner in university trials. My son James has been using the variety for a number of years so I have grown accustomed to seeing them blooming from May until the fi rst really hard frost. In baskets and containers, they are incredible. But the eye opener to me this year was his application where it tumbled over a wall, with cascades of purple blooms. Seeing a rare Zebra longwing butterfl y feeding on it in my yard in October was my gold medal moment.

It is not just Luscious Grape having a fall fest, but Luscious Marmalade with the fi ery orange colors of a sugar maple and the new Luscious Golden Gate lighting up the fall landscape in dramatic fashion while bringing in a host of butterfl ies and bees.

The Luscious Marmalade has the largest orange fl owers I have seen on a lantana and will always have a place in my garden. When Luscious Golden Gate debuted this year, I thought, did we need a gold lantana? Oh my, the compact bushy habit and Above continuous bloom will make you fall in love with golden fl owered lantanas again and Luscious Royale Red Zone this will become the one on your list too. Almost everyone will be waiting until spring 2021 to plant lantanas so you can have them for the long hot summer and then celebrate with a fall lantana fest. The Luscious series from Proven Winners features 11 colors including the Luscious Roywill debut in the spring of 2021 and promises to add excitement to the garden. ale Red Zone debuting in 2021. If you are passionate about red then this is the one Photo courtesy of Proven Winners/TNS for you as it will add unparalleled excitement to your garden. It is certifi ed sterile by the University of Florida so it will not exceed its boundaries in warmer regions.

Remember, sunlight is a key ingredient for the real blooming to occur. While they aren’t fi nicky on soil, I make soil improvement a practice, always incorporating leaves, compost and organic matter into planting beds. This helps with not only drainage but ideal root expansion with young plants. Plan on spacing your plants 2 to 3 feet apart depending on your variety selection.

Every September, garden centers load up with mums that we enjoy for a few weeks. I would tell the industry don’t be afraid to offer us some blooming lantanas to partner with these mums. More than likely they will bloom longer and feed remaining pollinators too.

Above Eastern Tiger Swallowtails feast on Luscious Golden Gate lantanas in early September. Photo courtesy of Norman Winter/TNS

Below This Ruby-throated hummingbird is fattening up on Luscious Royale Cosmo lantana in mid-October. Photo courtesy of Norman Winter/TNS

Norman Winter, horticulturist, garden speaker and author of, “Tough-as-Nails Flowers for the South” and “Captivating Combinations: Color and Style in the Garden.” Follow him on Facebook @NormanWinterTheGardenGuy.)

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