Lantana, Trailing Pink

Lantana montevidensis, commonly called trailing lantana or weeping lantana, is native to tropical areas of South America. In frost free areas, it grows as a low, trailing, woody shrub to only 12-20" tall, but spreads by vine-like stems to 5' wide or more. It is typically grown as a dense ground cover. It features hairy, opposite, coarsely-toothed, ovate, dark green leaves (unpleasant aroma when bruised). Leaves can be a skin irritant. Clusters (to 1 1/2" across) of tiny lilac to purplish-pink flowers with yellow throats bloom profusely throughout the year in frost free areas. Flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies. In St. Louis, trailing lantana is grown as an annual, with flowers blooming from spring to fall frost. Flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies. Trailing lantana has escaped gardens and naturalized in parts of the southern U.S. including Florida, the Gulf Coast and southern California. It can spread invasively in frost free areas, but appears to be somewhat less invasive than its close relative Lantana camara. Genus name comes from the Latin name for viburnum. This species was reportedly discovered in Montevideo, Uruguay, hence the specific epithet.