Send your plant-related questions to Robyn, our expert plant columnist,
at Swwgod@aol.com.
I live in an apartment and have a balcony.
I want to put a patio plant out on the balcony to attract butterflies, any
suggestions?
Lantana is a wonderful, deciduous perennial that would not only
add beauty in any arrangement pot, but also butterflies love it. My personal
preference is, arranging Yellow Lantana with Salmon colored geraniums and
Blue (perennial) Salvia. Throw in a few small vining vincas and you've got
a beautiful patio pot that will not only look pleasing to the human eye but
the butterflies will be attracted to the colors.
Lantana Camara:
Lantana is a deciduous, perennial, woody plant with a rather bushy
growth. It will reach a height of sixteen to thirty-two inches as a bedding
plant but older shrubs can reach a height of three to seven feet if left
to grow wild. If you get young plants in spring then they are more suitable
for patio pots and will grow more laterally if pruned.
Lantana bloom from June until the first frost. As long as you give
it a frost- free position for the winter, a closed sun porch or veranda,
it can be grown year after year. The flowers grow in clusters on the end
of stalks. Each individual flower is tubular with a little collar and the
colors can vary between white, yellow, orange, lilac, pink and blue. The
entire plant has a spicy fragrance.
The plant needs a sunny and warm spot and somewhat protected from
drafts. A south or west facing patio is fine. The closer to the house or
apartment door it is placed, the faster it will grow.
The soil should be rich humus Stiff soil can be improved by mixing
in sphagnum and grit.
Lantana should be groomed from unattractive or withered stems and
dead flower heads. Shape the plant to a small standard tree in a tub. Lantana
can be propagated usually with cuttings, but seed can be used.
Possible problems:
Spider mites can give rise to yellow or brown spots at other times
of year. It is difficult to fight them but try with repeated insecticidal
soap spraying or commercial insecticide.
Aphids suck the sap from individual stamens and leaves. Remove them
and spray the plant with a hose.
Lantana really deserves the popularity it has gained in recent years.
It is an excellent plant for your patio or balcony mixed with other colorful
plants that like the sun.
About the author: Robyn Wilkey is an interior landscape consultant.
She is a third generation horticulturist and now lives in Bowling Green,
Kentucky. Write her at
Swwgod@aol.com.
Books on Plants:
* The Secret Life of Plants by Peter Tompkins and Christopher O.
Bud.
To
order click here.
* The American Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden
Plants by Christopher Brickell, editor, Judith Zuk, editor.
To
order click here.
* The House Plant Expert: The World's Best-Selling Book on House
Plants by D. G. Hessayon.
To
order click here.
* The Flower Expert by D.G.
Hessayon.
To order click here. |
