I found these cute little flowers in planters in Shanghai. Any idea what they are? They come in a variety of yellow/orange/red colors.
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Can anyone ID this flower?
- Thread starter Loren Pechtel
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James Brown
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Looks like Lantana to me.
southernhybrid
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It's definitely lantana. I've had it growing near my house for over 20 years. It will winter over in zone 7, grows like crazy in northern Florida and is great for attracting butterflies. They are extremely low maintenance, so I love them. If you plant them outside, just cut them back in winter and they will come back in Spring, assuming you live in zone 7 or higher.
James Brown
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I plant lantana in my front yard precisely because it's a low-maintenance perennial. I love the smell of the crushed leaves.
8b here. However, reading up on them suggests the flowers don't smell too good and the plants are a lot bigger than the ones I encountered. I was thinking of a few pots beside the path to the front door but I don't think they would be too suitable.
Cheerful Charlie
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Yes, it is Lantana. We have a lot of it in our yard. It has become an very aggressive weed here. Butterflies like it. The berries are poisonous to humans so it might not be good if one has small children.
Toni
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They're only sold as annuals where I live (zone 4) so I'm sure the ones I see are not as healthy/vigorous as they are in their more natural climates. There is little to no scent in the examples I've seen.
I say if you like them, give them a shot. You can always change your mind and rip them out or cut them back dramatically if they overgrow the spot you've picked out for them.
T.G.G. Moogly
Traditional Atheist
Exotics are poisonous generally, though they're great eye candy. I say "poisonous" because they do not support native populations. Butterflies my sip the nectar, but without actual thriving native plants on which the butterflies depend, there simply won't be any butterflies to come along and sip the nectar.
southernhybrid
Contributor
I've never noticed any scent from their flowers, but they can be grown in pots. I've done that before too. Right now, I have two pots of violas just outside my front door, but the damn rabbits keep coming at night and biting off the flowers. This is the first time that's happened, and the horrible smelling stuff that I bought that was supposed to deter them, didn't work.
Oh wait. We are supposed to be talking about lantana. But, violas or pansies make lovely winter flowers in pots, and again they will survive through any winter in zone 7 or higher. I think we used to be a zone 7, but thanks to climate change, we're pretty much a zone 8 now if you go by the temps.
I'm the youngest one in the house. I do not believe anyone on the block has small children, although I've seen some grandkids at one house.
Toni
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I don’t know if you have pets, but if you do, safety might be a consideration. I think they are really pretty.
No pets, either.
Toni
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Sounds like there is no reason not to try them out. Since some have reported that they really spread, you could head off that issue by just planting them in planters or pots.
What I've learned is that it pays to be ruthless when getting rid of plants that you change your mind on. No sentiment/no mercy.
Given our soil I plant anything less than a tree in a pot anyway.