Lantana / Yellow sage / shrub verbena
(Lantana camara)
Country of Origin : Central and South America
Bonsai Styles : root-over-rock, clump, semi cascade
Zone : 10 – 11
Often grown as a houseplant in temperate climates, lantana is an evergreen, small, and colorful shrub from tropical regions in the Americas.
The plant has a smooth, light grey bark. It produces square spindly branches that have alternate leaves.
It produces domed heads of tubular flowers that emerge in summer in dense clusters that develop from the leaf axils. A summer blooming season changes the flower’s color from pink to red to orange, and it produces blue-black berries. The berries are poisonous, so do not consume them.
Can you bonsai lantana?
Lantana plants can be grown as an attractive flowering bonsai tree. You can even grow it as an indoor bonsai tree to enhance the look of your home. Furthermore, the flowers, leaves and the roots of the plant have a very strong aroma. The splendidly showy flowers alone make it worth a try.
It is worth mentioning that the pale to dark green oval leaves of the plant are generally too large for a bonsai, however routine pruning will help you in reducing their size.
Read more about other bonsai trees species in : Types of bonsai tree
Best location to keep Lantana bonsai tree
The plant can be kept both indoors and outdoors in the summer months.
Can lantana camara grow indoors?
It can be grown indoors all year round. When keeping the plant indoors, place the bonsai near a west or south facing window for maximum exposure to light. It should, however, be protected from harsh direct sunlight. A suitable temperature range is 53°F to 66°F (12°C to 19°C).
If you are planning to keep the bonsai outdoors during summer, keep it in a warm, bright location with full sun / partial shade. Air circulation is essential, but it must be protected from high winds.
Does lantana flower indoors?
As long as the plant receives plenty of sunlight, the plant will flower indoors. High humidity and bright light will stimulate almost constant flowering.
How do you overwinter lantana indoors?
In winter (if you have kept the bonsai outdoors) bring it inside in an unheated room. A suitable temperature range for lantana bonsai in winter is 41°F and 46°F (5 and 8°C), however it can tolerate higher temperatures as well. Later, in early spring, increase the temperature to 50°F (10°C) or slightly higher.
Click here to read our detailed guide to indoor bonsai tree care.
IMP: Refer to do bonsai trees need sunlight for more indoor and outdoor bonsai location ideas. Also, refer sunlight requirements for indoor plants for more indoor gardening ideas.
Propagation of Lantana bonsai tree
When growing lantana plants from seeds, soak them in water for almost 24 hours. Sow them and keep the soil moist. Try to keep the growing medium at a constant temperature from 70°F to 75°F (21°C-24°C). The seeds will take 1-2 months to germinate.
Lantana plants can also be grown using cuttings. Take cuttings approximately 5-6 cm in length from young shoots. Plant these cuttings in a medium made of equal parts of moist peat and sharp sand. An ideal temperature for rooting of cuttings is 61°F – 64°F (16°C – 18°C).
After rooted cuttings have been transferred to individual pots, pinch out the growing tips several times to encourage bushiness.
Watering Lantana bonsai tree
It is critical to water lantana camara generously and constantly in summer to prevent it from drying out. Furthermore, if the plant is allowed to dry out, it will have a hard time producing flowers.
The lantana camara is equally sensitive to dryness and waterlogging.
Water sparingly in the winter season. Keep the soil evenly moist at all times.
The plant also needs high humidity. Misting the bonsai will help in increasing humidity. But avoid misting the flowers. You can also keep the bonsai pot on a water tray filled with pebbles to increase humidity.
Read watering bonsai tree for more details and also about bonsai water immersion technique.
Wiring Lantana bonsai tree
Even though it can be done at any time of the year, wire training Lantana camara bonsai is unnecessary and not recommended. Branches on this plant are very brittle.
You can wire young branches. Older branches that have not yet grown too thick can sometimes be styled by using suspended wiring.
Read : Detailed guide on How to wire a bonsai. This extensive guide includes all the wiring techniques and Do’s and Dont’s. It will also show you other bonsai training techniques which can be achieved without using wires.
Pruning Lantana bonsai tree
When to prune Lantana bonsai tree?
How to prune Lantana bonsai tree?
It is often difficult to see the structure of a bonsai during the flowering season. Therefore, planning the shape of your bonsai is better done in winter and spring, when the tree is not flowering.
In autumn and once in spring, long stems should be pruned hard, right back to the main branch. This plant easily tolerate vigorous pruning.
Let the new shoots grow till flowering and after flowering, cut back the new shoots to two or three leaves. Continue this as the shoots grow.
Training this bonsai is a bit tricky because of its spindly branches and wide space between leaves. Also, because of the spindly branches, aim for a minimum bonsai height of 16 inches (40 cm).
Prune large leaves continuously during the main growing period. Leaf pruning will also help in reducing the size of the leaves.
Routinely pinch older, well-established bonsai trees. This will promote twiggy growth and the flowers will not extend too far beyond the actual crown of the tree.
Read how to prune a bonsai to know about the right technique of pruning and more about defoliating a bonsai tree.
Repotting Lantana bonsai tree
When to repot Lantana bonsai tree?
Lantana bonsai can be repotted every second or third year in the spring, depending on root development. This tree can also be repotted in late winter.
Do not remove more than 1/3rd of the roots.
Use a well-draining bonsai soil mix.
You can also make a bonsai soil mix by mixing loam, peat moss and sand (1:1:2) OR fired clay particles, sand and peat (1:1:1). OR sand, compost and acadama (1:2:2).
Please check out how to repot a bonsai to know everything about repotting and root pruning a bonsai.
Must Read: Bonsai Soil Recipes
Must read : Choosing the right bonsai container
Feeding Lantana bonsai tree
A weak liquid fertilizer should be fed every two weeks from spring to early autumn. Feed every four to six weeks during the winter. Do not fertilize during flowering.
Read more about bonsai fertilizer and its application. This will also give you more details on how to feed flowering bonsai trees.
Diseases and pest of Lantana bonsai tree
Lantana bonsai can be attacked by greenflies, spider mites, and whiteflies. In fact whiteflies are specially attracted to these plants.
Pruning away and burning infested branches is the most effective treatment. You can also apply systemic insecticides.
For treatment of whiteflies, Malathion should be sprayed on both the eggs and the flies so that they can be destroyed. You can also use a spray of bioresmethrin, Bifenthrin, Resmethrin, or Orthene.
Please make sure you read our comprehensive guide: How to identify and treat bonsai pests and diseases is a great resource for you to see all the organic and inorganic remedies you can use.
