On another gardening web site I answered a question about what to plant as a foundation planting in the Texas Hill Country (bad soil, extreme heat, little care). When I madsuggested lantana, the poster responded that my suggestion was a "nasty weed" she had encountered in Florida. She hated the plant, thought the colors were ugly and generally thumped me for being so audacious as to recommend it! Have you ever liked a plant that someone else considered a "nasty weed?"
Oh, yeah, that happens a lot. I personally love Lantana but many people think it stinks and looks scraggly. I love Henbit too, first to start growing in the late winter, earlier if winter was mild. It brings color to the yard when everything 'cultured' is still sleeping. Darn, I just realized that our PlantPage for Lamium amplexicaule (Henbit) doesn't have a photo! I have to get one this next winter. Mimosa Trees, I grew up with them in the yard of almost every house we lived in. I fuss about pulling the seedlings out of every bed in the yard but I love them. Albizia julibrissin (Mimosa Tree, Silk Tree, Pink Siris)
I too love Lantana. I have 3 different colored ones and can't wait for them to get big. And like Toni, I just "have to have" some Mimosa trees around. I'm trying to get some Hairy Cluster vine established... and my brother is trying to get rid of it "on his new fence".
I was confused and had to google lantana just to be sure. I love these plants! It is funny, one man's flower is another man's weed. I have to dig out japanese anemones and perrenial cornflowers out of one of my customers gardens as she hates them and calls them weeds...of course, they end up in my garden and look stunning. I have a lovely patch of ox eye daisies for the same reason.
Well, each to his own I guess. The latana is a summer flower here since it can't take the winters. I've also got lots of plants others consider weeds, but I love them. I don't even look at chickweed as a weed. I eat it. So for me it's an in-between meal.
Leafylady, lantana will self-seed a bit, but is definitely not invasive. I've had a lantana camara for three years, and this year it put out one seedling. The woman considered lantana a nasty weed because she didn't like it, thought it had harsh colors. Wonder what she does when her husband wears a shirt she doesn't like!
Speaking of Lantanas.... here's the 3 colors I have. Lantana Camara ( photo / image / picture from cherylad's Garden ) Lantana - Dallas Red ( photo / image / picture from cherylad's Garden ) Lantana Gold ( photo / image / picture from cherylad's Garden ) I've seen photos of purple one's online, but never in person. Does anyone have any other colored Lantanas?
Cheryl, I have the purple, and a white one, too. Both are really groundcovers, since they only get about 8" tall, but spread nicely. I have found that if I scratch the underside of a stem lightly and peg it down, they root in and I have more of the groundcover. Your lantanas are very pretty! I especially like the camara--so pastel and cool looking.
Marlin... do you have photos? would love to see them. I'm thinking of trying to get at least one of every color growing to make a hedge/border.
No photos yet, but since both the white and the purple are in flower right now, I'll get some and post them in a day or two. There is a lantana horrida that gets really big and butterflies love it. The blooms are bright orange and hot red mixed--not a subtle plant! We just got one to put by the fence row where it can spread to its heart's content.
Oh no! I feel another plant addiction coming on! I looked up the Lantana Horrida online... it looks marvelous! Perhaps a "big brother" to the Dallas Red?
Hee hee, Cheryl, The Toni syndrome strikes again (Toni is known for mentioning plants that everyone then immediately lusts after)! Naturenanni, it will grow in Indiana, perhaps as an annual. The native ones, horrida and camara would probably have the best chance of overwintering. The others are hybrids and a tad more delicate. Another plus for lantana, the mockingbirds love the seed heads!
I love lantana and have the red and red orange ones all around my house. PS,,I love mimosa too and they are weeds here.
