Chang Sheng Plant: Lantana Blooming Period, Seed Price per Jin, and Home Cultivation and Care

Lantana is also called Shan Da Dan, Ru Yi Cao, Wu Cai Hua, Wu Lei Dan, Wu Se Xiu Qiu, Bian Se Cao, and Da Hong Xiu Qiu. It is native to South America and the West Indies, and is now widely cultivated around the world. So when does lantana generally bloom? How much is a jin of seeds? Can it be kept at home? How should it be planted and cared for? According to Shuyang Seed Industry Company, the price of lantana seeds is about 50--80 yuan/jin, and the sowing rate per mu is 5--6 jin.

When does lantana generally bloom?

The general blooming period of lantana is about from mid-to-late April to around mid-February of the following year, but due to the influence of climate and temperature, it can be seen blooming almost all year round, so it can be called a plant that blooms constantly. Within one cluster of inflorescences there are often changes of multiple colors, so it is also known by other names such as Wu Se Mei and Wu Cai Hua; at the same time, the branches and leaves contain a special pungent odor, so Lantana camara also has other names such as Chou Cao and Chou Jin Feng. In Taiwan, China, it was introduced by the Dutch around 1645. Because of its strong reproductive capacity, it is currently a common exotic species seen in the wild in the plains of Taiwan, China.

Can lantana be kept at home?

Lantana likes light and prefers a warm, humid climate. It has strong adaptability and tolerates drought and poor soil, but it is not cold-resistant, and grows better in loose, fertile, well-drained sandy loam. It likes warm, humid, sunny places. It tolerates drought, slightly tolerates shade, and is not cold-resistant. In the south it is basically cultivated in the open ground, while in the north it can be grown in pots for ornamental display. The branches, leaves and flowers of lantana release an odor that mosquitoes and flies are sensitive to, and it has a strong effect in repelling mosquitoes and flies, while the odor does no harm to the human body. The flowers and leaves are poisonous, and accidental ingestion can cause diarrhea and fever. But as long as we understand their living habits and take certain measures, they will not harm health, and will only be beneficial to the human body.

How should lantana be planted and cared for?

Planting:

1. What kind of environment is suitable for lantana

The quality of the soil directly determines the quality of lantana seedling growth. If the soil is very good and the growing environment is very good, then management and care will be much more convenient. Lantana does not have strict soil requirements; it can be sandy soil, yellow mud soil, or clay, but soil with a high sand content has ordinary seedling emergence. Lantana is afraid of waterlogging, so it needs higher terrain that drains easily. When summer comes, the amount of water increases, and water must be able to drain away in time, otherwise large areas of seedlings can easily die. The main point of the terrain is that it is conducive to draining accumulated water. Ordinary soil is fine, and light should be sufficient.

2. Land preparation

1. Plowing: Lantana responds very quickly to nutrients. If the soil nutrients are sufficient, the flowers will be vivid in color and the plants will be sturdy. However, the soil in some landscaping sites is basically land with ordinary nutrients, so if you want vivid flowers, you must spread sufficient farmyard manure before planting, applying 3~8 thousand kg of cow dung and chicken manure per 660 sq m. After spreading the fertilizer, plow once and harrow once. Only in this way will the soil and fertilizer be mixed evenly together, with no large clods of soil, making planting convenient and improving the germination rate.

2. Making beds: In order to facilitate irrigation during the 1-year growth period of lantana seedlings, weed removal, fertilizer application, and other necessary care and management, Changjing Landscape suggests making the land into fixed-standard beds 1.6 m wide and 10~20 m long, with the details determined by the plot.

3. How to plant lantana

Lantana seeds are generally medium in size and have a strong germination rate. It is recommended to plant them relatively shallowly, with a soil covering depth of no more than 4 cm. Broadcasting is generally used for planting. Choose windless conditions, mix the lantana seeds into wet sand, and spread them evenly over the soil. After sowing, you can cover the soil by raking manually or by machine. After covering with fine soil, water once, and the germination rate can be improved in about 7~12 days.

4. How to grow lantana

The workload of management and care during the growth period of lantana is relatively small. It has no insect pests and has strong growth momentum. The key matters are mostly concentrated in the flowering period. Before flowering, apply 50 kg of chemical fertilizer per 660 sq m. Fertilizing before flowering is to make the flowering period longer, the number of flowers greater, and the flower color more vivid. Do not fertilize during the full flowering period. During the time when lantana is blooming, it needs a lot of water. At this time, the number and timing of watering should be decided according to weather conditions.

Care:

1. Spring

Potted lantana should be repotted before being moved outdoors in spring. Sufficient base fertilizer should be applied, and the branches should be pruned appropriately. If they are small seedlings, pinch the tips to promote side branches. For formed plants, attention should be paid to thinning out weak branches and diseased branches, and appropriately cutting them back to maintain a good tree shape and promote more new shoots.

For mature plants that are not being kept for seed after flowering and fruiting, remove the spent flowers in spring to help the leaf axils below produce new inflorescences. Cut off dead and weak branches, prune and shape the plant, keep the new branches attractive, and make shaping easier when new branches sprout in spring.

2. Summer

Lantana is native to tropical America, and a small amount also grows wild in southern China. It likes a warm, humid environment with sufficient sunlight, and is not cold-resistant. A well-made bonsai can be kept outdoors in a sunny place during the growing season from spring to autumn. Even in midsummer it does not need shading, but it requires good ventilation. If light is insufficient, the plant will become leggy, with thin and long stems and branches, and few flowers, seriously affecting its ornamental value.

During the growing period, keep the pot soil moist, avoid excessive dryness, and pay attention to spraying water on the leaves to increase air humidity; apply a light fertilizer mainly based on phosphorus and potassium about once every 15 days to provide sufficient nutrients so the plant will bloom more.

3. Autumn

Autumn is when lantana blooms most abundantly. It is necessary to maintain sufficient sunlight so the flower colors can be rich and varied, bright and vivid, and the leaves can also carry out full photosynthesis to set off the bright flowers.

During the flowering period, pay attention to keeping the pot soil moist and avoid dryness. If dryness occurs, the flowers are prone to wilting, and new flower buds are not easy to open, affecting flower viewing.

4. Winter

In winter, move it indoors to a sunny place. If a room temperature above 15°C can be maintained, the plant can grow and bloom normally, and it should be watered, fertilized and pruned appropriately. If such a high temperature cannot be maintained, restrict watering, stop fertilizing, and let the plant go dormant; it can overwinter safely at 8°C or above.