Is Lantana deer resistant?
Lantana camara
Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten
About Lantana
Pungent foliage, and deer usually walk past it. It flowers relentlessly from planting to frost with no deadheading, which is rare. Sold as an annual almost everywhere and perennial only from about zone 9 south. Where it is perennial it becomes a woody shrub several feet across. That hardiness is exactly the problem in warm regions. Lantana is invasive in Florida, Texas and Hawaii, spread by birds taking the berries, and it forms thickets that displace native vegetation. In those states plant a sterile cultivar or something else entirely. North of zone 9 it dies every winter and the question does not arise. The berries are toxic to livestock, and to children if eaten green.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 6 to 7.5
- Drainage
- Well drained
- Water
- Low
- Fertility
- Low
- Spacing
- 18 to 35 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maintenance
- Low
Tolerances and uses
- Drought
- High
- Salt
- High
- Pollinators
- High
- Containers
- Coastal sites
Similar to Lantana
Other annuals with the same deer rating.
- Annual CandytuftIberis umbellataGrown as an annual, any zoneSeldom damaged
- Annual SalviaSalvia splendensGrown as an annual, any zoneSeldom damaged
- Annual VerbenaVerbena x hybridaGrown as an annual, any zoneSeldom damaged
- Bachelor's ButtonsCentaurea cyanusGrown as an annual, any zoneSeldom damaged
- BasilOcimum basilicumGrown as an annual, any zoneSeldom damaged
- BorageBorago officinalisGrown as an annual, any zoneSeldom damaged
Where Lantana grows
Hardy across most of these 51 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- New York
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Virginia
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
- Ohio
- Indiana
- Illinois
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- Georgia
- Texas
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Maine
- Rhode Island
- Delaware
- West Virginia
- Kentucky
- South Carolina
- Florida
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbia
- Hawaii
Browse from here
Every list Lantana belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Lantana
- Is Lantana deer resistant?
- Lantana (Lantana camara) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
- What hardiness zones does Lantana grow in?
- Lantana is hardy in USDA zones 2 to 11. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Lantana grow in shade?
- No. Lantana wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
- How big does Lantana get?
- Mature height is roughly 12–72 in. Growth rate is fast.
- When does Lantana bloom?
- Lantana flowers from May–October.
- Is Lantana toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists Lantana as toxic to cats, dogs, and horses. Site it away from where animals graze, or choose something else if you have a dog that chews.
- Is Lantana invasive?
- Lantana is listed as invasive or restricted in FL, HI, TX. Deer leaving it alone is not a reason to plant it. Check your own state before buying.