The lantana never ceases to charm visitors to southern gardens. To cut this plant with its brightly colored pompon inflorescences, nothing could be easier, follow the guide!
Lantana, who are you?
The lantana is a small shrub native to South America for most species. Its evergreen and aromatic foliage when crumpled between the fingers is covered with rounded inflorescences with attractive colors. Most often yellow, orange, pink, cream or red, the flowers follow one another from May until the first frost. In the most southern regions, it is not uncommon to see it blooming also in winter.
When to cut the lantana?
Cutting can be done in March in the warmth of the new shoots or in August on the semi-hardened stems.
How to take cuttings of lantana?
If you proceed to the cutting in March on a plant kept warm, the cutting will be made on a young tender and green shoot.
If you prefer to do it at the end of summer, the stem will be woody (hard) and straw-colored.
- Take a pruning shears whose blades will have been disinfected beforehand.
- Cut an end of the stem of 15 cm length.
- Remove any flower clusters and then the leaves, keeping only the last two leaves at the top of the cutting.
- Fill a bucket with a light mixture made of half of good soil and half of river sand.
- With the tip of a pencil, dig a hole in the center of the mixture 5 cm deep.
- Dip the end of the cutting into some powdered cutting hormone or willow water to increase your chances of success.
- Place the cutting in the hole previously made, taking care not to remove the hormone powder in the process.
- Gently close the soil around the stem and pack.
- Water in a fine rain.
- Place three or four vertical sticks (20 cm high) around the mixture along the wall of the pot. They will keep the translucent plastic bag that you will install on top out of contact with the cutting.
- Attach the plastic bag to the pot with a rubber band or raffia.
After taking a lantana cutting
- Place your cutting in a very bright light without direct sunlight.
- Wait about a month until the roots have formed before removing the plastic bag.
- Water and gradually place your cutting in the morning or late afternoon sun.
- Transplant 3 months later in a larger pot or in the garden if frosts are no longer a concern as the lantana does not tolerate the cold.
