With their colour-changing flowers, lantana lend a Mediterranean flair and are a real eye-catcher. From spring to autumn it constantly forms new flowers and can reach a considerable size. In order to maintain this abundance of flowers over the years and not let them get out of hand in their growth, in addition to care measures such as watering and fertilizing, regular pruning is essential.
time
When to cut Lantana camara?
The frequency and intensity of pruning depends primarily on the growth behavior of the respective plant. Lantana camara is a plant that grows relatively quickly and luxuriantly, producing long shoots all year round. As a rule, it can be pruned all year round, for example if it has gotten out of shape or there is only limited space available for wintering.
The different pruning measures primarily serve to keep the plant healthy. In addition, they can give or maintain a specific shape and promote denser and more compact growth. This magnificent plant flowers mainly on the one-year-old wood, while the older shoots flower less and less over the years. If pruning measures are completely dispensed with, the blooming splendor will soon be over.
tip
Gloves should always be worn for any cutting measures, because this plant is extremely poisonous in all parts of the plant.
pruning
Cut back before the winter break
With a targeted pruning in October/November, depending on the weather conditions, the Lantana can be prepared for hibernation.
- shorten all shoots by about a third in bright and cold winter quarters
- Lantana loses most of its leaves in winter
- so it can also hibernate in dark rooms
- in these cases all shoots can be cut down to 10 - 15 cm
If no cool quarters are available for hibernation, so that the plant stays in the warm living room during the winter, only a light pruning should be carried out. Due to the lower light intensity, depending on where the plant is, long, weak shoots can form. They should be cut out as often as possible, as they cost the plant unnecessary strength.
care cut
Maintenance cut after the winter break
In February/March, when hibernation is coming to an end and the lantana has not yet sprout, it must be cut back again. After pruning in autumn and the lower light yield, the lantana often forms long, weak shoots during the winter, so that it has to be pruned again in spring. This central shape and maintenance cut should also be stronger again. The more radical this pruning, the more lush the flowering, because this plant flowers mainly on young wood or on this year's shoots.
The shoots should be cut back by at least half, better by two thirds. A radical pruning down to about 10 cm is also possible. This stimulates new growth and the plant grows more compact and bushy. When making the cut, make sure that the scissors are always placed a few millimeters above a dormant, outward-facing bud. A sleeping eye can be easily recognized by small thickenings under the bark. At the same time, dead, diseased and damaged wood should be cut out and withered flowers should be removed again and again during the flowering period.
tip
The Lantana is a very pruning-tolerant and fast-growing plant, so the shoots should be shortened again and again if you want a certain shape. It can easily be pruned as a classic bush or trimmed to a standard with a spherical crown.
summer cut
Also cut in summer
For a long-lasting flowering, dead flowers are cleaned up promptly, even during the summer. This also prevents the formation of highly toxic seeds. In order to keep the plant in shape, you cut out disturbing shoots and shorten too long or too strong growing ones. The cut shoot tips can be used very well to propagate the plant.
standard
Raise and cut high stems
According to the following instructions, Lantana camara can also be trained very well as a stem, this applies to both older and young plants, although it is a little easier with young plants.
- first you choose a central, strong and straight main shoot
- this main shoot will later function as a stem
- initially place a stable support next to the main trunk
- this should ensure straight growth
- then remove all other base shoots
- also remove all side shoots attached to the main shoot up to the height of the future crown
- Pinch off side shoots in the area of the crown again and again at first
- this allows them to branch out well and develop a compact crown
- if lots of flowers and decorative fruit are desired, do not let the crown branch out too much
- prune the new shoots again and again in the coming years
- Regularly remove shoots that form later in the lower area of the trunk