Lantana camara Evita Rose - West Indian Lantana

Lantana camara 'Evita Rose' is a small frost-tender bushy shrub, often cultivated as an annual in our climates. It is interesting for its endless summer bicoloured flowering, as original as it is brightly coloured: its pink and yellow ball-shaped inflorescences continuously bloom until the first frosts. A floriferous and bushy variety, ideal for ornamenting sunny terraces and balconies.

Lantana camara, also known as common lantana or camara, is a small shrub of the Verbenaceae family. It originates from a vast area including Mexico, Central America, the Greater Antilles, the Bahamas, Colombia, and Venezuela. It has naturalized in many subtropical regions where it is considered invasive. Not demanding in terms of soil, water-efficient, extremely floriferous, this lantana has only one flaw: its lack of hardiness, up to around -6°C/-7°C (19.4°F) for short periods.

The cultivar 'Evita Rose' is a horticultural selection chosen for its small development and brightly coloured flowering. Rapidly growing, this well-branched shrub reaches about 40cm (16in) in all directions in one season. Its quadrangular section branches bear a few hooked spines and leaves that are 4 to 6cm (2in) long, tough, rough, and aromatic, with finely toothed margins. They are dark green, strongly veined, and theoretically persist in winter if there is no frost. Its particularly long flowering period extends from June-July to October. In the axils of the leaves, clusters or panicles of round flowers, 4 to 5cm (2in) in diameter, emerge. The small tubular-based flowers gradually change from yellow ochre to purplish pink, creating an interesting contrast within the bouquet between the centre flowers, yellow to orange, and those on the periphery, turning violet pink to wine red.

Lantana camara 'Evita Rose' thrives in protected, warm, and very sunny locations. It can withstand winter outdoors in mild climates. Elsewhere, it is an excellent terrace plant that should be stored in a cold or temperate greenhouse, protected from heavy frosts during winter. While it can make a spectacle on its own, this Lantana pairs well with the blue or white flowers of salvias, lavenders, garden verbenas, and catmints. It is also a very good plant for a dry garden with no watering, when winters are mild.

Green plants measuring 4 to 8cm (2 to 3in) in plug plants of 5 small plugs, 2.8cm (1in) in diameter and 4cm (2in) in height. Our plants are at least eight weeks old and strong enough to be planted in the ground.

Note: Please be aware that our young plants in plug plants are professional products intended for experienced gardeners: upon receipt, repot and store them in sheltered areas (veranda, greenhouse, cold frame...) at a temperature above 14°C (57.2°F) for a few weeks before planting them outdoors once the risk of frost has definitively passed.