Japanese name: コバノランタナ Scientific name:Lantana montevidensis
[Overview]
An evergreen shrub.
It loses its leaves in cold regions.
The whole plant is covered with cilia.
The stems branch freely and creep along the ground, extending about 90 cm.
The leaves are simple and opposite, ovate, about 3 cm long.
The leaf surface is much wrinkled, and the margins are serrate.
Head-like inflorescences about 3 cm across emerge from the leaf axils and bear densely packed flowers.
The inflorescences have long stalks.
The flowers are pale reddish purple, and the tip of the corolla is divided into 4–5 lobes.
The fruit is a spherical berry.
[Cultivation]
Propagate by cuttings.
In a sunny, well-drained place it is not particular about soil type.
In poor sunlight it flowers poorly.
It is somewhat susceptible to cold, so avoid cold winter winds and frost.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries from spring to autumn, and keep it on the dry side in winter.
For plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient once established.
Too much fertilizer makes the plant grow too dense, so apply only a small amount of slow-release fertilizer twice, in spring and autumn.
Fruiting tires the plant, so pick off spent flowers frequently after flowering.
If the plant becomes too dense or looks unsightly after losing its leaves in winter, cut it back short to the base to reshape it.
There are no particular pests or diseases.
