Lantana is a popular, brightly colored flowering plant known for its vigorous growth and ability to thrive in hot, sunny conditions. Grown as a perennial shrub in warm climates or as an annual elsewhere, it produces masses of blooms from spring until frost. Because lantana flowers on new growth, pruning is a necessary maintenance task that encourages continuous flowering and maintains an attractive shape. This raises the question of whether summer is the right time to prune.
Summer Trimming and Maintenance Cuts
The direct answer to trimming lantana in the summer is yes, but only for light maintenance cuts. This practice is aimed at encouraging reblooming and keeping the plant tidy, not for major size reduction. Removing spent blossoms (deadheading) is the simplest way to signal the plant to produce more flowers, as blooms develop on new growth.
A light summer trim involves shearing the tips of the growth by no more than one-quarter of the current season’s new stems. This minor pruning stimulates new lateral branches, quickly producing a fresh flush of blooms. The goal is to maintain a compact, bushy appearance and promote continuous flower production. Trimming the tips also prevents the plant from forming berries, which reduces blooming capability.
The Best Time for Structural Pruning
Heavy structural pruning should be avoided during the summer. This type of pruning involves significantly reducing the plant’s overall size and cutting into older, woodier stems, often removing one-half to two-thirds of its total mass. Performing this severe cut during the peak growing season sacrifices the current season’s flower display, as bloom-producing growth is removed.
The optimal time for this heavy reduction is late winter or early spring, just before the plant breaks dormancy. In perennial regions, cutting stems back to 6 to 12 inches from the ground in March removes old wood and encourages vigorous new stems. Spring pruning minimizes stress, as the plant is naturally prepared to direct energy into rapid new growth. Cutting back hard in summer forces the plant to divert energy away from heat tolerance and flowering toward immediate repair.
Supporting Lantana After Pruning
Regardless of the season, proper support immediately following trimming ensures the lantana recovers quickly. After a light summer maintenance cut, a thorough watering is helpful, as the plant is already working hard in the summer heat. This replenishes moisture and aids in the rapid development of new shoots.
Following a maintenance trim, a light application of a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer encourages the new growth that leads to reblooming. Avoid too much fertilizer, as excessive nitrogen stimulates leaf growth at the expense of flower production. For heavier structural pruning done in early spring, a more substantial feeding, perhaps with a slow-release formula, provides necessary nutrients for the entire season.