Ridge at Lantana: What’s a “Lantana”?
January 3, 2012 - 29 views
Driving around the Ridge at Lantana, one can see a variety of flora, fauna, and beautiful views, but have you ever stopped and wondered what a Lantana is?
The Lantana is a perennial flowering plant in the verbena family that is made up of herbaceous plants and shrubs and aromatic, sometimes pungent flower clusters that are typically a mix of red, orange, and yellow or blue and white. In the United States, the flowers are found in the Southeast and Gulf regions, where they are often known as “ham and eggs” because of the pink and yellow coloring.
Lantan can be considered an invasive weed by some, particularly those in Australia, South Africa, South Asia, and even to some Texans due to its rapid growth and hardiness. The Texas Lantana, Lantana Urticoides, however, is a lovely native species that can make any landscaping pop with its brilliant, cheery colors. It also provides food and shelter to bees, butterflies, and birds, making for a great fauna-watching habitat. It is also drought tolerant, disease and pest resistant, and does wonderfully in the Austin heat. The drought tolerant part is key, as it rarely needs to be watered, except for in times of extreme drought, making it both easy to care for and something homeowners don’t have to worry about when the inevitable water restrictions come around in the summer.
Another great option in the area is the Trailing Lantana, which produces beautiful purple flowers and vines that crawl along the ground and can be trained to grow by trimming them. One consideration when deciding whether Lantana flowers are right for yards, however, is the leaves are often toxic to people and animals so babies and dogs that like to put things in their mouths are probably not a great match with this plant.
If you’re looking for a new home with a yard that is perfect for planting native species like the Lantana, a home in the Ridge at Lantana subdivision may be just what you’re looking for. As a resident of the area, Austin REALTOR® Brian Talley is the perfect choice to help you with your home search.
