The Lantana Plant Produces Beautiful Colored Flowers That Attract Bees and Butterflies Year-Round

The Lantana plant is an evergreen, tropical shrub that will grow up to eight feet wide and 6-feet high. There are some that may even grow taller if it is provided a quality support to climb on. Its leaves are 2-5 inches in length and 1-2 inches wide with a textured surface and tooth edges.

Rough hairs surround the stems, and the shrub creates a bad smell whenever crushed. A lot of little flowers blossom throughout the year in tropical areas. In cooler regions they just bloom in summer and autumn.

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In Florida, the plant is quite widespread. It is easy for lantana to adjust to many different soil types. The shrub grows best in sun and part shade with well-drained soil. The shrub can grow back after being wiped out by the frost.

The Lantana shrub can grow quiet swiftly and can be used as container plant or border. Lantana plants can also tolerate salt sprays should you live near a beach. Lantana does not have any trouble with pest or diseases. Its leaves might be toxic to some animals, so avoid letting your pets get near them. Lantana attracts butterflies, bees and some types of birds.

Hybrids can reach to over one hundred species. Species like weeping or trailing lantana works nicely in a hanging basket or as a ground-cover. Beautifully colored flowers are produced by the festival variety of the plant.

It is known as a weed in certain regions like Texas, because of its untamed growth spread. In certain locations, its leaves are used for therapeutic purposes. In Mexico, it is a stomach tonic and in Sinaloa it is a treatment for those who have been bitten by a snake.

Lantana is easily grown by the new gardener in warm climates because of it hardiness. Recommended varieties are New Gold, Weeping Lavender, Texas Flame, and Samantha.

The Lantana Plant Produces Beautiful Colored Flowers That Attract Bees and Butterflies Year-Round

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The Basics of Growing Flowers in Tropical Climates

Different types of flowers have adapted to grow naturally in the three different climate zones of the globe. These zones include the tropical, temperate, and polar zones. Tropical flowers are are abundant, as many different plant species thrive in a climate that is largely non-arid and warm. Flowers that are native to the tropics are those that grow naturally in areas that lie between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer.

This area includes the most fertile areas of China, Africa, and South America. Other tropical locations include the Congo Basin, and parts of the United States, Mexico, and Australia. If you live in these areas, it is relatively easy to grow flowers native to the area, as native tropical flowers enjoy the warm temperatures and frequent rainfall these areas receive.

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If you are interested in growing flowers in a tropical climate, you will have the most luck with growing tropical flowers. Some of the most popular tropical flowers for the dahlias, Christmas orchids and other types of orchids, the African tulip, the Angel Wing begonia, lotus, jasmine, hibiscus, the blue passion flower, and many others. Tropical blooms are known for being fragrant and colorful, and most of them bloom throughout the year when planted in a native environment. Tropical flowers are truly a beautiful addition to gardens and yards, giving people gorgeous landscapes and attracting birds and other species to enjoy their nectar and natural coverage.

You can try to grow flowers from other climates such as the temperate and polar zones in a tropical landscape, but largely you will need to grow these in a greenhouse setting where you can control the rainfall and temperature these plants receive. Plants that are not native to the tropical climate may not thrive in such a warm, wet climate as you would find in the Tropics.

The Basics of Growing Flowers in Tropical Climates

Grow Calendar 2011