Texas Lantana for Butterflies, Hummingbirds, and Bees!

Lantana is an ideal, drought-tolerant perennial for Falls County, Texas, thriving in full sun (6+ hours) and well-draining soil. Plant in spring after danger of frost passes, allowing it to establish before summer heat. These plants are low-maintenance, heat-loving, and rarely need fertilizer, making them perfect for local, dry, or poor-soil landscapes.

Native options like Lantana urticoides (Texas Lantana) are excellent. The Texas Lantana is sometimes called “Calico Bush”. Common choices include trailing varieties for groundcover or upright varieties (like ‘Radiation’ or ‘Confetti’) for height.

Lantana urticoides( Texas Lantana) typically features vibrant, multi-colored flower clusters in shades of red, orange, and yellow. The flowers are often described as having reddish orange outer blooms with bright yellow centers, frequently changing color as they age. These blooms appear from Spring through Fall.

Texas Lantana is more than just a pretty flower. The orange Texas Lantana is bullet-proof! Because the true Texas Lantana is VERY drought- and heat-tolerant once established, it is often called “bullet proof.” It actually thrives in the full summer sun and heat, requiring little water after its first year. It will bloom continually until Fall, and the orange flowers are very attractive to butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Birds eat the black berries (seeds) which are poisonous to humans. Bees use the nectar in honey production. The verbena-like tube flowers are an excellent food source for many nectaring butterflies.

Propagate Texas Lantana easily in Spring or Summer, using 4–6 inch softwood or semi-hardwood stem cuttings. Remove lower leaves, dip in rooting hormone (optional), and plant in a moist, welldrained potting mix, such as a mix of peat moss and perlite. Keep cuttings humid and in bright, indirect light; roots generally develop within 3–4 weeks.

Lantana seeds are easy to grow, too. Soak seeds for 24 hours to boost germination, planting in warm soil. They take 21–90 days to germinate and bloom best in hot, dry, well-drained conditions.

But – please don’t plant the pink and yellow Lantana (called Tropical Lantana). It is not desirable! The pink and yellow version (called Tropical Lantana) which is named Lantana Camara is native to the West Indies, Columbia, and Venezuela. It is now classified as Invasive by the Texas Invasive Species Institute.

Lantana Camara is a highly invasive, noxious shrub that rapidly dominates disturbed sites, forming dense, impenetrable thickets that choke out native biodiversity. It spreads through bird-dispersed seeds and stem rooting (layering), altering fire patterns and producing allelopathic chemicals that inhibit other plant growth. It is a major agricultural pest and toxic to livestock. Its unripe fruit is quite dangerous to children and pets.

Texas Lantana, a pollinator magnet, is a key plant for wildlife, attracting numerous species of butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds to its nectar-rich blooms.

This gardener is asking for a stem cutting! Go, Texas Lantana, Go!