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Bandito™ Lantana

Lantana camara (lan-TAN-a kuh-MAR-uh)

Family: Verbenaceae Unknown Herbaceous (1-3 ft)

The Bandito™ Group is a collection cultivars of Lantana camara , a small, annual, woody, broadleaf evergreen shrub in the Verbenaceae (verbena) family. It was developed to withstand hot, humid southern summers while still providing knock-out, long-lasting flowers that are very attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. It has a dense and mounding form approximately 1 foot high by foot wide. Plant it in full sun in moist, well-drained clay, loam, or sandy soil with a neutral pH. It is tolerant of both poor soil and drought. The showy flowers appear from spring until fall and come in a wide range of colors. They provide nectar for hummingbirds and butterflies. Birds enjoy the berries. Use this tropical feel plant in containers or hanging baskets. Its size makes it ideal for a small space or courtyard. It is a wonderful addition to butterfly, cottage, pollinator, or rock gardens. This plant does grow quickly and aggressively so plan its location accordingly. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Whiteflies and spider mites can affect plants kept over the winter. In areas of the country with more tropical climates Lantana camera is weedy or even invasive. Leaves and unripe, green berries can cause minor skin irritation. It is toxic to livestock such as cattle, sheep, horses, and goats. VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for " Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcovers " a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Lantana camara .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 64 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft) Optimal soil pH Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Fills a similar niche Echinacea purpurea PowWow® Wild Berry 'PAS702917' Lantana camara Lantana camara 'Miss Huff'

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Annual; Ground Cover; Perennial; Shrub
Life cycle
Annual; Perennial; Woody
USDA zones
8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 2 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 2 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Mounding
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Rounded medium green leaves are 2-5" long, 1-2" wide with toothed edges.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Orange; Pink; Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy
Flower value
Long Bloom Season; Long-lasting; Showy
Flower form
Umbel
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Multicolored blooms last from summer into fall.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Black; Blue; Purple/Lavender
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
berry-like drupe turns metallic blue or purple-black
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Wildlife value
Flowers provide nectar for hummingbirds and butterflies. Berries are edible to birds.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Hummingbirds; Moths; Songbirds
Play value
Attractive Flowers; Attracts Pollinators; Wildlife Food Source
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Drupe
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Hanging Baskets; Patio; Slope/Bank; Small Space; Walkways
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Cottage Garden; Pollinator Garden; Rock Garden
Design feature
Border; Mass Planting; Small groups
Garden tags
#heat tolerant #pollinator plant #showy flowers #border planting #nectar plant #rock garden #drought tolerant #humidity tolerant #hummingbird friendly #long bloom time #easy to grow #fall flowers #summer flowers #rustic #Mediterranean #cottage garden #fast growing #urban conditions tolerant #poisonous fruits #butterfly friendly #tropical feel #container plant #low maintenance #courtyard garden #aggressive #contact dermatitis #small spaces #hanging baskets #poisonous #weedy #compact #poor soil tolerant
Problems & Resistance
Problems
Contact Dermatitis; Poisonous to Humans; Problem for Cats; Problem for Children; Problem for Dogs; Problem for Horses; Weedy
Resistant to
Deer; Drought; Dry Soil; Heat; Humidity; Poor Soil; Urban Conditions
Poison severity
Medium
Poison parts
Fruits; Leaves
Poison symptoms
Vomiting, diarrhea, dilated pupils, labored respiration; the leaves may cause dermatitis.
Toxic principle
Triterpenes (lantadene A & B)
Contact dermatitis
Yes
Toxicity summary
Medium severity poison; parts: Fruits; Leaves; contact dermatitis

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.