‘Lantana Purple Falls’ is a specific cultivar of Lantana montevidensis, commonly known as trailing lantana. This plant is a popular choice for gardeners seeking vibrant color and easy care in their landscapes. Its distinctive purple blooms and cascading growth habit make it a versatile addition to many garden settings.
Understanding Lantana Purple Falls
‘Lantana Purple Falls’ is known for its trailing and spreading growth, reaching about 20-24 inches tall and spreading 15-20 inches wide. It produces abundant clusters of fuchsia-purple flowers with white centers and gold eyes, blooming consistently from late spring through mid-fall. The heart-shaped leaves emerge chartreuse and mature to green, adding textural interest. This cultivar is heat and drought tolerant, making it a resilient choice for various climates. It attracts pollinators like butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees, while being deer-resistant.
Its mounding and trailing form makes ‘Lantana Purple Falls’ well-suited for various landscape applications. It performs effectively as a groundcover, creating dense mats of color on slopes or in garden beds. The cascading nature of its stems also makes it an excellent choice for hanging baskets, containers, and window boxes, where it can spill over the edges. It also serves as a colorful border plant.
Planting and Basic Care
The optimal time to plant ‘Lantana Purple Falls’ is in the spring, once all danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed. This plant thrives in full sun, requiring at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal flowering. While it tolerates a range of soil types, well-draining soil is important to prevent root rot. ‘Lantana Purple Falls’ is adaptable to various soil pH levels, generally preferring a range between 6.0 and 8.0.
When planting, ensure adequate spacing, typically 14-20 inches apart, to allow for its spreading habit. For container plantings, ensure pots have good drainage holes. Initial watering should be consistent to help the plant establish, keeping the soil evenly moist but not waterlogged. Once established, it requires less frequent watering due to its drought tolerance. While it tolerates infertile soils, a balanced granular fertilizer at planting or a water-soluble fertilizer monthly for container plants can support vigorous growth and continuous blooming.
‘Lantana Purple Falls’ is a perennial in USDA Hardiness Zones 9-11. In colder regions (Zone 8 and below), it is typically grown as an annual, providing seasonal color until the first frost. In Zone 8, it may die back to the ground but often regrows from the roots in spring.
Ongoing Care and Important Considerations
Pruning ‘Lantana Purple Falls’ helps maintain its shape and encourages more blooms. In perennial regions, prune in early spring before new growth appears, cutting stems back by up to one-third of their size or to 6-12 inches. Light shearing after flowering throughout the growing season can promote continuous blooming and a bushier habit. Avoid heavy pruning in the fall in perennial zones, as this can reduce winter hardiness.
Winter care varies by hardiness zone. In perennial zones, a light layer of mulch around the base offers some protection. In colder climates where it is grown as an annual, the plant will not survive winter outdoors and can be removed after the first hard frost. Overwintering plants indoors in colder zones is possible but requires specific conditions.
A significant consideration for ‘Lantana Purple Falls’ is its toxicity. All parts of the plant, including leaves, stems, and especially the berries, contain compounds toxic if ingested by humans, pets, and livestock. Symptoms can include gastrointestinal upset, vomiting, diarrhea, and in severe cases, liver damage. Exercise caution and place these plants where children and pets cannot easily access them, such as in hanging baskets or elevated containers.
While generally robust, ‘Lantana Purple Falls’ can occasionally encounter pests like whiteflies, spider mites, or lace bugs. Fungal issues such as powdery mildew may occur, particularly in shaded or overly moist conditions; good air circulation is beneficial. In some warm climates, certain Lantana camara varieties have been noted for their invasive potential. While Lantana montevidensis cultivars like ‘Purple Falls’ are often less aggressive, check local regulations regarding lantana species.
Propagating Lantana Purple Falls
Propagating ‘Lantana Purple Falls’ is most reliably achieved through softwood or semi-hardwood cuttings. The best time to take cuttings is during the summer months, or in late summer to early fall if you plan to overwinter them indoors. Select healthy, non-flowering side shoots that are 4-6 inches long. Remove the leaves from the lower portion of the cutting, leaving only a few sets of true leaves at the top.
Dip the cut end into rooting hormone, though it is not always essential. Plant the prepared cuttings into a well-draining growing medium, such as a mix of peat moss and perlite or a sterile seed starting mix. Keep the medium consistently moist and provide warmth. Rooting typically occurs within three to four weeks, after which the new plants can be transplanted. While propagation from seeds is possible, the resulting plants may not retain the specific characteristics of the ‘Purple Falls’ cultivar.