Lantana camara is a popular, brightly colored woody shrub, native to tropical regions of the Americas. It is frequently selected for its extensive blooming period and strong attraction to butterflies and hummingbirds, providing continuous color from late spring until the first heavy frost. Its widespread use across various climates often leads to confusion about its classification: Is it an annual that completes its life cycle in one season or a perennial that returns year after year? The plant’s designation depends entirely on the winter temperatures of its location.
Defining the Lantana Growth Habit
Botanically, Lantana camara is a tender perennial shrub, meaning it has the capacity to live for multiple years and develop woody stems. Unlike a true annual plant, lantana would naturally continue to grow indefinitely in a suitable environment. Its tropical origin dictates that its perennial status is contingent upon the absence of hard freezes, which is why it is often sold and treated as a seasonal annual.
The plant’s inability to tolerate cold is the decisive factor in its survival. Lantana cannot withstand freezing conditions, and its root system typically succumbs if soil temperatures consistently drop below 28 to 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Even a light frost can damage the foliage and stems. This low-temperature threshold is why, outside of tropical and subtropical areas, Lantana camara is simply grown for its seasonal color and then discarded when winter arrives.
In its native habitat, the plant can grow into a substantial, sprawling shrub, often reaching heights of six feet or more. When grown in cooler climates as an annual, the plant’s fast growth rate still allows it to achieve a significant size, typically between one and three feet, before the growing season ends.
The Role of Hardiness Zones in Survival
Determining whether Lantana camara will return in the spring depends on the local climate, which is best understood through the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone system. This system maps regions based on their average annual minimum winter temperature, providing a reliable guide for perennial survival. For lantana to be a reliable, returning perennial, the garden must be located in USDA Zones 9 through 11, where hard freezes are rare or non-existent.
In Zone 10 and 11, Lantana camara typically acts as an evergreen shrub, maintaining its foliage and blooming almost year-round without requiring special winter protection. Moving into Zone 9, the plant transitions to an herbaceous perennial behavior; the top growth will often die back completely during the winter, but the root system will survive to regenerate new shoots in the spring. New growth generally emerges once the soil temperature consistently exceeds 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
The challenge begins in marginal climates, specifically Zone 8 and colder parts of Zone 7. In these areas, the average minimum temperature falls below the plant’s survival threshold, meaning standard varieties will not survive the winter outdoors without intervention. However, some cold-hardy cultivars, such as ‘Miss Huff,’ have demonstrated the ability to survive winter temperatures as low as 0 degrees Fahrenheit when established and protected. These specialized varieties offer a chance for perennial growth in Zone 7b.
Practical Care for Lantana Over Winter
For gardeners located in Zones 7 and 8, the decision to attempt perennial survival depends on the specific cultivar and the level of protection provided. In Zone 8, where a lantana plant is conditionally perennial, the focus is on insulating the root crown from extreme cold. Once the plant has been killed back by the first hard frost, typically to a height of six to twelve inches, applying a substantial layer of mulch is the first defense.
A thick layer of organic material, such as straw or shredded leaves, should be mounded over the root zone, ideally reaching twelve inches high in Zone 8 to provide adequate insulation. This protective blanket helps stabilize the soil temperature, preventing deep-soil freezing that is lethal to the roots. Watering the plant thoroughly before a major cold snap can also help, as moist soil retains more heat than dry soil.
In colder climates, such as Zone 7 and below, outdoor survival is generally impossible, requiring the plant to be treated as an annual or overwintered indoors. Container-grown lantana can be moved inside before the first frost, allowing the plant to enter a state of cool, dark dormancy. A cool room, such as a basement or unheated garage, with temperatures maintained between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit, is ideal for this dormant phase.
During indoor dormancy, the plant should be pruned back significantly and requires only minimal water—just enough to keep the soil from completely drying out. Alternatively, the plant can be treated as a houseplant in a bright, sunny window, though this warmer environment increases the risk of pests. In either indoor scenario, growth should be minimal, and fertilization must be suspended until the plant is moved back outside in the spring after all danger of frost has passed.