Lantana is a low-maintenance and beautifully colorful tender perennial that has the ability to attract pollinators and other beneficial insects into your garden or other outdoor space. The semi-woody plant is mainly grown as a shrub in USDA gardening zones 7-11. Gardeners in lower growing zones are able to grow this wonderfully scented plant as a hot season annual that flowers continuously until the first frost in fall.
Propagating lantana not only makes more plants to fill containers and garden beds, but it is also a very successful method to overwinter prized specimens to be grown year after year where the plant is not fully hardy.
Methods To Propagate Lantana
Softwood or semi-hardwood cuttings and seed starting are the two methods most useful for Lantana. Cuttings from stems that have not flowered or do not have developing flowerheads give the most consistent results. The plant stems energy will go into producing new roots from the leaf node instead of supporting the development of flowers.
Seeds are easy to grow although some varieties may take up to 3 weeks to germinate. Lantana that are hybrids typically do not produce seed that has the identical genetic makeup as the parent. Be prepared to have plants with different growth characteristics, flower colors, or leaf variations if you save and start hybrid Lantana seeds. Buying seeds from a reputable seed producer is one way to grow these hybrids with confidence that you will have exactly the plant you want.
What You Need To Propagate Lantana
For cuttings: Use a quick draining growing medium like sharp sand, perlite, or vermiculite to firmly hold the cuttings in place until they root. Plastic pots that are anywhere from one quart to one gallon in capacity make the best container for starting lantana. This size is usually deep enough to hold a cutting at least 6 inches in length, with 5-7 fitting comfortably around the outside edge.
Heat mats are not required for bottom heat. Dedicated grow lights may be needed as the cuttings grow during the dark months of winter. Direct bright light is acceptable although the cuttings will need turning on a regular basis so that they grow straight. Fertilizer is needed only after the cuttings have been transplanted to their own containers.
For seeds: A peat-free seed starting mix that helps to hold moisture but drains freely is great for starting large-size Lantana seeds. A plastic bag will be used for covering the pot to retain humidity and moisture in the soil until the first shoots emerge. Individual 2 or 3-inch plastic pots are great to sow and grow the seeds in. Lantana seeds will germinate faster when soaked for up to one day before planting.
A small glass of tap water is fine for this scarification process. A window with bright direct light or a grow light helps the seeds germinate well and is needed to grow the plants on into the spring. Diluted liquid fertilizer is only needed after the seedlings have put on a couple of sets of true leaves. Over-fertilizing while the seedlings are indoors could lead to weakened plants that have too much spindly top growth.
Best Time To Propagate Lantana
Lantana cuttings can be taken throughout the summer months, although if you grow this shrubby perennial as an annual late summer or early fall will be the best time. This allows you to grow the new cuttings as houseplants over the winter months. When the temperatures warm in late spring, the cuttings will be ready to go outdoors.
Steps To Starting Lantana from Cuttings
Step 1 - Moisten the growing media and fill up your plastic pot to within ½ inch of the top. Firmly press down to give the cuttings a sold base to hold them upright.
Step 2 - Cut side shoots that have no flower buds or spent flowers, 6-8 inches long. Include at least 2 groups of leaves along the stem, although 3 or 4 is better.
Step 3 - Carefully remove the foliage from along the cutting, leaving the top pair of leaves alone. The nodes where the leaves were will be where the new roots emerge.
Step 4 - Use a chopstick or finger to make a hole in the pot alongside the side. Slide the cutting in until the top set of leaves is just above the soil surface.
Step 5 - Firm the rooting media in around the cutting to hold it upright.
Step 6 - Continue placing cuttings along the inside edge of the pot. 5-7 cuttings will fit in a one-gallon capacity pot. Smaller pots may hold 1-3.
Step 7 - Water the pot from the bottom or with a fine spray from a watering can from the top.
Step 8 - Place a clear plastic bag over the top of the cutting and attach it with a rubber band or twine around the edge of the pot loosely. This helps keep moisture and humidity around the cutting.
Step 9 - Place the covered pot in a location with indirect bright light or a protected location outdoors.
Caring For Young Lantana Cuttings
Lantana cuttings will take up to a month before they begin to show signs of rooting. Keep the pot well watered but do not allow condensation from the bag to touch the leaves. If too much condensation is collecting in the bag loosen it to allow some air circulation.
Once any new leaves begin to show on the top of the cutting remove the plastic bag completely and keep the cutting protected for a few more weeks. The sign that the cutting is ready to transplant into a larger container or the garden is when roots begin to grow from the bottom of the pot. Transplant the new Lantana plants into a well-draining all-purpose potting mix and fertilize with diluted liquid fertilizer (seaweed or fish emulsion) as needed.
Sources:
"Lantana." University of Minnesota Extension. extension.umn.edu
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Author Robbin Small - Published 12-27-2024 |