Lantana

About

A popular flowering shrub that has escaped into the wild in Florida, Hawaii and along the Gulf Coast. It forms dense, prickly thickets, and its leaves and green berries are poisonous to children, pets and livestock.

Also called common lantana, shrub verbena

How to identify it

Look for

A sprawling shrub 1 to 6 feet tall with square, prickly stems and rough, strong-smelling leaves. Rounded clusters of small tubular flowers come in mixed colors such as yellow-orange-red or pink-white. Berries start green and turn shiny blue-black.

Look-alikes

Native lantanas look similar, and invasive lantana can cross with them; sterile, non-fruiting garden varieties don't cross with natives but are still toxic.

Where it grows

Pastures, disturbed ground, old groves, roadsides, woods edges and coastal areas in warm climates; also a common garden plant.

When

Flowers through the warm months and ripens berries in late summer and fall; it stays evergreen in frost-free places.

How it spreads

Birds eat the berries and spread the seeds far from the parent plant.

Most common in

What to do, gentlest first

Protect yourself first. Weed killers are a last step; always read and follow the label.

1. Plant sterile or native choices Prevent

   In Florida, Hawaii and other warm areas, avoid planting fruiting lantana. Choose sterile varieties or native alternatives.

   Sterile varieties are still toxic.

2. Dig out the whole root By hand

   Dig out plants with the entire root system; mowing alone doesn't kill it.

   Wear gloves and long sleeves. Bag berries for the trash.

3. Fluroxypyr in pastures Conventional spray

   In pastures, two treatments with fluroxypyr, in fall before frost and again in spring after green-up, can give control.

   Read and follow the label. Many lawn and brush herbicides also kill garden plants, so keep spray and drift off anything you want to keep.

Uses, wildlife and pets

For wildlife

Butterflies love the flowers, and birds eat the berries (which is how it spreads).

Pets

Toxic to dogs, cats and horses (ASPCA), with vomiting, diarrhea, labored breathing and weakness; liver failure is more common in livestock.