Lantana companion plants are all easy to grow to require low maintenance. They are an excellent choice for the container, flowerbed, or landscape planting.
Their bright blooms complement each other during their blooming seasons, which can extend from summer to winter. Here are excellent choices you should consider, with their given requirements and so much more.
Contents
A List of the Lantana Companion Plants
1. Butterfly Bushes
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Butterfly bush is a perfect companion to the lantana plant as they bloom for prolonged seasons producing large blooms that draw pollinators for both of the species.
They bloom in spring and summer, producing long panicles of colorful flowers that attract butterflies and other beneficial insects. These flowers are colored pink, purple, blue, white, and yellow.
Butterfly bushes are commonly grown for their flowers, long panicles of colorful flowers that attract butterflies, and beneficial insects. It has naturally attractive evergreen foliage and an interesting shrub shape even when it’s not blooming.
Butterfly bush is a tough one thriving in USDA hardiness zones five through nine. Choose a sunny and partially shaded area with moist, well-drained soils but not soggy.
It is invasive in many regions and should be controlled, which means that the ultimate option you have is to prune it to maintain a smaller size and control its growth.
2. Salvia
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Salvia works well with others and also as a standalone. When paired with lantana, they attract pollinators and enjoy full sun. Salvia has generous blooms appearing in early summer and ending in late fall. They have dark green to grayish foliage and spikey looking racemes.
Salvia belongs to the mint family and is grown worldwide. It has many cultivars with different textures and leaf shapes. Most are small upright shrubs about one to three feet tall and wide. Apply mulch every spring to retain moisture and control weeds.
In addition to this, you must remember to water them during summer when the rainfall is less than an inch per week. Deadhead spent flowers periodically to encourage more blooms. Salvia thrives in full sun and warm areas, so don’t put them under partial shade as they will not flower on time. Provide them with well-draining soil that is moist but not soggy.
3. Angelonia
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Angelonia grown with lantana is such a great combination. These two enjoy the same growing conditions and are easy to grow. Angelonia blooms extensively all through the summer season.
This tough perennial boasts large bloom sizes, while others are dwarfs. It has a strong scent from its flowers on warmer summer evenings. In addition, it is one of those flowers that would easily attract butterflies in spring season.
The hardy flowers will remain strong even in blazing summer temperatures. Clusters of small orchid-like flowers in white, mauve, pink, violet, or purple cover the narrow green leaves. In order to achieve this growth, you must note that it thrives under full sunlight and no partial shade. It prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soils that are acidic.
You can always try to pinch the tips of the main stems when they are about six inches tall to encourage bushiness and branching. Water them frequently to keep the soil moist; however, avoid overwatering.
4. Purple Coneflower
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Pairing lantana and cone flowers together brighten the landscape with their colorful blooms. These two share the same growing conditions growing as perennials. They attract bees and butterflies, ensuring the nearby plants have many pollinators.
Coneflower has large pink or purple, daisy-like flowers that bloom brightly in the summer. They have sturdy stalks that may reach five feet in height and require staking for an upright appearance.
Coneflowers thrive in USDA hardiness zones three to eight. Grow them in a full-sun location with about six to eight hours of sunlight. The soil should be of neutral pH range of 6.5 to 7.0, rich, and well-draining.
In addition, when you wish for it to grow so well, you must water them frequently to maintain moist soils but not soggy. On another note, also remember to cut back stems one foot when they come into bloom to delay blooming, so you can enjoy them in the fall. Lastly, don’t forget to mulch them in the fall in preparation for the cold season.
5. Shasta Daisy
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Lantana and Shasta daisies are easy to grow with low maintenance. It is easy to grow them together as they share the same growing conditions and bloom with bright, beautiful flowers.
Shasta daisies are the perfect low-maintenance perennials for filling up your landscape’s bare spots. It grows to about three to eight feet tall, producing beautiful flowers. Some people claim that it looks similar to the roadside daisy but has larger blooms.
These daisy blooms from early summer with white daisy-like flowers with a yellow center. These large, cheery flowers brighten your garden throughout the summer into the fall, attracting pollinators of every kind.
Shasta daisies thrive in soils with good drainage and rich in nutrients. Grow them in a partial sun and shade location, as they cannot tolerate full direct sunlight. Water them frequently to maintain moist soils but not soggy.
You can always apply compost and mulch every spring to control weeds, so that the soil will be fertile. In addition, you can always encourage their growth by cutting the stems back at least an inch above the soil line.
6. Zinnia
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It is perfect to combine zinnia and lantana and watch their flowers fill your garden with color and pollinators. It’s easy to maintain both plants as they need the same growing conditions and care.
Zinnias are annuals that grow from seed to flower quickly. They bloom in bold, hot palette colors that are attractive to pollinators. Moreover, the reason why many actually like this plants is that they grow up to four feet tall, requiring very minimal care.
There are three main kinds of zinnias that include single, semi-double, and double. To put it in a clear form, their difference lies in the number of rows of petals and whether the flower center is visible. In addition to this, note that they also come in several shapes and heights.
These little flowers are perfect for growing in gardens, window boxes, and other containers. Choose a location that gets full sun for at least six to eight hours daily to get vibrant blooms. Grow them in moist soils rich in organic matter and drains them well.
Keep the soil moisturized throughout its growing season and fertilize lightly for maximum growth and blooms. Cut off the old flowers to encourage more blooms. You may also reseed them for the next season by letting the flowers mature fully and scatter their seeds, if you wish to do so, it is a successful process.
7. Sedum Autumn Joy
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Sedum joy is one of the most beautiful plants to grow alongside lantana. These two happily share the same growing conditions complementing each other with their beautiful blooms and low maintenance.
Sedum autumn joy grows to about three feet tall and has grayish-green, toothed oval leaves. It has succulent leaves that emerge as early as rosettes. It produces beautiful clusters of dusty pink flowers late summer into the fall. These flowers attract butterflies and bees for pollination, benefiting those growing around them.
Water it frequently to keep the soil moist but not soggy. Prune at six to eight inches to shorten it and delay flowering. Provide well-draining soils and plenty of sunshine for maximum growth and vibrant blooms. It thrives in USDA three to ten and prefers moist, fertile soils.
Conclusion
As we have seen, lantana companion plants are a breath of fresh air to any garden. They easily brighten your landscape with showy flowers blooming in summer or fall.
Here are a few pointers to help you as you prepare to grow them.
- Lantana is one of the easiest to grow together with others as it requires less maintenance and grows fast.
- These plants are an excellent choice for beginner and seasoned gardeners as they are easy to grow and require less maintenance.
- Some of the best sun-loving plants from the list above include butterfly bush, sedum autumn joy, zinnia, salvia, and purple coneflower.
Follow the tips shared above to help you grow your vibrant garden that will draw pollinators and support the ecosystem.
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