Lantana and Plumbago
 

I bought some cherry red lantana last year and planted it. It was really
beautiful and the butterflies loved it. Now I'm having doubts as to whether
it will come out again this Spring or Summer, or did the Winter temperatures
kill it? It just looks like a bunch of dead sticks to me right now. Will new
growth come out on the old wood, or do I need to cut it to the ground...or
just buy more and start over? Same question about my Plumbago...does it
come back every year?

Thanks!
Angie

Angie,

You don't state what Zone you are in so I can olny speculate.

Lantana is hardy only to Zone 9, rarely Zone 8 (with lots of mulch),
what you describe sounds more like a winter kill to me. I grow them as
container plants in my Zone 5a gardens and carry them over in my
basement light garden each year. In the Spring, after the last frost
date they go back outside and I prune them back rather severly. New
growth appears within a few days and the plants are putting on a show
of bloom in about a month.

I prune the more robust growers after each bloom cycle and root the
better pieces in moist potting mix. I keep the mix moist until new
growth is evident and then I allow it to dry out in between waterings.

The only draw-back to wintering them indoors is that they are magnets
for "White Flies".

I've never grown Plumbago, so can't help you there. If you're talking
about False Indigo, which is a common name for it, I believe it will
come back, you'll know in a few weeks. Of course, knowing what Zone
you are in would help a whole lot!


Hemma

On Sun, 13 Mar 2005 20:04:56 -0600, "junkyardcat"
wrote:

I bought some cherry red lantana last year and planted it. It was really
beautiful and the butterflies loved it. Now I'm having doubts as to whether
it will come out again this Spring or Summer, or did the Winter temperatures
kill it? It just looks like a bunch of dead sticks to me right now. Will new
growth come out on the old wood, or do I need to cut it to the ground...or
just buy more and start over? Same question about my Plumbago...does it
come back every year?

Thanks!
Angie

Most of the dead lantana sticks will need to be removed. I cut mine
back during winter, some wait until the plant sends out shoots so they
can see what is dead and what is dormant.

I have a Dallas Red and another red of unknown variety of lantana, but
both are a bit slow coming out in the spring for me in Zone 8.
(Middle Georgia)
If the red doesn't come back try replacing it with Miss Huff, but be
warned mine grows about 8 to 10 feet every year and cutting back the
brush in the spring can be a chore. The butterflies won't mind the
difference in color.

Regards,

Hal

From: "Hemmaholic"
Organization: http://groups.google.com
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: 14 Mar 2005 01:37:02 -0800
Subject: Lantana and Plumbago

Angie,

You don't state what Zone you are in so I can olny speculate.

Lantana is hardy only to Zone 9, rarely Zone 8 (with lots of mulch),
what you describe sounds more like a winter kill to me. I grow them as
container plants in my Zone 5a gardens and carry them over in my
basement light garden each year. In the Spring, after the last frost
date they go back outside and I prune them back rather severly. New
growth appears within a few days and the plants are putting on a show
of bloom in about a month.

BEWARE of bringing lantana inside the house, for it (99 times outta 100)
will bring whitefly with it...not only killing the lantana, eventually, but
also attacking other plants it has a liking for!!!

I prune the more robust growers after each bloom cycle and root the
better pieces in moist potting mix. I keep the mix moist until new
growth is evident and then I allow it to dry out in between waterings.

The only draw-back to wintering them indoors is that they are magnets
for "White Flies".

I've never grown Plumbago, so can't help you there. If you're talking
about False Indigo, which is a common name for it, I believe it will
come back, you'll know in a few weeks. Of course, knowing what Zone
you are in would help a whole lot!


i DO know plumbago and i've grown it in zone 5a with no problem whatsoever.
of course the leaves come out first but when those little blue flowers come
through.....oh!! what a dream. i used it on sandstone steps leading down
from my (ahem) waterfall....it was great. be careful of growing it near
ivy, though, cuz the ivy is voracious!! and plumbago is somewhat timid. no
virginia creeper, either.

"false indigo" is Baptista something something...australinalis, i think.
nothing do to with Plumbago whatsoever.

good luck, angel, and most of all......HAVE FUN!!!!

First off, what zone are you in?

"junkyardcat" wrote in message
...
I bought some cherry red lantana last year and planted it. It was really
beautiful and the butterflies loved it. Now I'm having doubts as to
whether
it will come out again this Spring or Summer, or did the Winter
temperatures
kill it? It just looks like a bunch of dead sticks to me right now. Will
new
growth come out on the old wood, or do I need to cut it to the ground...or
just buy more and start over? Same question about my Plumbago...does it
come back every year?

Thanks!
Angie