Lantana montevidensis

Trailing lantana

Also known as:

Weeping lantana

Family: Verbenaceae

Origin: South America

Mature Trailing Lantana with yellow flowers.
Leaves are unique in being rough on the top surface and hairy on the under surface giving them a dry feeling when you touch them. Trailing lantana flowers can be pink or yellow and are very attractive.
Photo credit: Forest and Kim Starr

Regional Pest Management Plan (RPMP) status

  • Not a legally declared pest

View more about the RPMP statuses

General description

Low-growing, perennial, climbing, creeping or trailing shrub. Stems are slender and four-sided when young, turning cylindrical and woody with age. Leaves are ovate, opposite, finely toothed, rough on top and hairy underneath. Flowers are pink/purple with white/yellow throats and borne in dense clusters. Fruits are fleshy, green turning pink/red/purple and contain a single pale seed.

What you need to know

Although trailing lantana is not a legally declared pest plant, it may still be invasive in some situations. Consider lower risk alternatives for your garden, such as native plants.

Habitats

Disturbed sites, open areas, pastures, wasteland, roadsides.

Dispersal

Seeds dispersed by birds and other animals. Vegetative spread from stem fragments. Human-mediated dispersal through dumping of garden waste.

Impact on environment

Can form dense infestations. Poisonous to livestock.

Control

Site Management

Follow up treated areas 3 times per year. Encourage natural regeneration of native plants or replant treated areas where possible after 2-3 treatments to establish dense ground cover and minimise reinvasion.

Recommended approaches

Physical control

Method: Dig out.

Plant parts requiring disposal: Seeds.

Disposal options: Remove to greenwaste or landfill if practical.

Biocontrol

Biocontrol is currently not available for this species.

Community agrichemical control recommendations

No qualifications: Cut stump and paste freshly cut base of stems with double strength glyphosate gel. Foliar spray with 100ml glyphosate green per 10L of water.

Certified Handler/Experienced agrichemical user: Foliar spray with 100ml glyphosate green per 10L of water and 20ml penetrant.

Caution: When using any herbicide or pesticide please read the label thoroughly to ensure that all instructions and safety requirements are followed.

Trailing Lantana close up in flower.
Trailing lantana tends to grow as a creeping ground cover. Stems are slender and four sided while young and turn rounded and woody as they age.
Photo credit: Forest and Kim Starr
A dense mat of Trailing Lantana.
A common garden plant, trailing lantana is not declared a pest plant but has the potential to become weedy. Plants can regrow from stem fragments to care must be taken when removing.
Photo credit: Forest and Kim Starr
Close up of Trailing Lantana yellow flowers.
Once trailing lantana flowers are pollinated, they form into fleshy fruits that contain a single seed. Birds eat the fruit and carry seed to other areas.
Photo credit: Forest and Kim Starr