Mounding Lantana vs. Trailing Lantana: What’s the Difference?

There are literally dozens of varieties of lantana plants, but there are two primary types: mounding lantana vs. trailing lantana. While both are decorative, their differences will help you determine which fits your needs.

Key Differences Between Mounding Lantana and Trailing Lantana

Mounding lantana vs. trailing lantana have similar-looking flowers but otherwise, there aren’t that many similarities in their looks. However, they have many common uses and characteristics that could be handy to know. Check them out below and see which variety(s) might be best for your home and garden use.

Mounding Lantana vs. Trailing Lantana: Classification

Lantana is part of the Asteraceae family, or daisy family. The mounding variety (Lantana camara) of the plant is known commonly simply as lantana or may be called Angels Hair, mounding lantana, or wormwood. The trailing variety (Lantana montevidensis) is known as lantana, trailing lantana, weeping lantana, small lantana, purple lantana, creeping lantana, or trailing shrub verbena. Lantanas are evergreen plants, with some classed as broadleaf. Some varieties function well as ground cover.

Mounding Lantana vs. Trailing Lantana: Description

Lantana plants are herbaceous perennials that may grow up to 6 feet tall, depending on the cultivar. Typically, they spread out to about 1 or 1.5 feet wide. Mounding lantana has alternating silvery-green leaves that rise from short stems and are divided into linear segments of fine textured surfaces. The leaves tend toward more silver shades in autumn and quickly die back to the crown after the first frost or two. The mounding lantana may have silver, orange, dark yellow, pale yellow, or white flowers and are often unnoticed because of the larger, most prevalent silver foliage in some species (particularly the silver mounding species).

Trailing lantana, on the other hand, tends to be much more sprawling in appearance, spreading out up to 2 feet and appearing more shrub/vine hybrid-like. The flowers on trailing lantana are purples, pinks, lilacs, and sometimes bicolor with yellows and red or pink shades. The leaves are oval-shaped and generally dark green with tiny hairs on them. These do best when planted along fences, lattices, and similar areas where they can easily climb.

Mounding Lantana vs. Trailing Lantana: Uses

Mounding lantana is considered a low-profile growth plant. From spring to fall the silver mounding plant buds with small flowers, adding to its decorative appearance, and drawing butterflies, bees, and other pollinators.

Both mounding and trailing lantana is seen as having many uses, including placement in erosive soils in California to prevent further erosion. Because of the fast nature of its growth, it keeps the soil from fading away once the plants are well established.

Some medical studies in India have shown that lantana leaves may provide antimicrobial resistance, fungicidal, and insecticidal uses. It has also been used in traditional herbal medicines for many centuries, treating things like rabies, chickenpox, measles, ulcers, asthma, stress, and high blood pressure. There are no definitive studies on these, however, so, as always, you should consult with a medical care provider before partaking of any plant for medicinal purposes. It should be specifically noted that the leaves of lantana plants are generally considered toxic for both humans and animals. Some varieties of the plants, on the other hand, have edible berries which are used in various culinary uses in Ecuador and similar cultures.

Lantana is most often grown for ornamental purposes and pollinator gardens. Because the plants grow quickly, they make for great fence edging, woodland margins, and specimen plants. Some types of weaver birds also use the flowers to decorate their nests in the springtime. The purple lantana also is often planted as drought-tolerant ground cover, woody vine, and hanging plants.

Mounding Lantana vs. Trailing Lantana: Origins and Growing Preferences

Lantana is a large shrub that flowers and grows natively in subtropical climates in Central and South America. The plant was exported to Australia in the 1840s for ornamental use, but it was quickly discovered to be invasive, as it quickly overtook domestic cultivation of other plants. Within 20 years, it was established in the wild there. The plant overtook nearly 1000 miles of coastline in Eastern Australia within just 100 years.

You may opt to grow your lantana plants from seeds or from established plants from nurseries and garden centers. You’ll find many varieties of the plant available both in-person and online. The different varieties of both mounding and trailing lantana have different needs, but the majority of the plants in this family thrive in Zones 8 to 12, in full sun to partial sun, depending on the heat of the environment. Plant them in moist, well-drained soil. Infertile soil is best because it prevents excessive vertical growth (mounding lantana) which leads to opening and separating by mid-September.

Mounding Lantana vs. Trailing Lantana: Special Features and Fun Facts

Lantana plants have a bunch of fun and interesting facts and features that help to make them intriguing and enticing at once for gardeners, both indoors and out. For one, they’re both salt-resistant (i.e., great for coastal gardens!) and drought-resistant (i.e., great for arid climates). The plant is also fire resistant – or at least tolerates fire. It regenerates from basal shoots after fires consume the plant. Lantana appears in folklore where it helps heal snake bites, chickenpox, and other skin irritations and eruptions. Plus, their berries are edible and often used for jams, jellies, pies, and cordials in Ecuador.

However, the leaves are poisonous to most animals, so don’t keep them indoors with pets. And, sadly, lantana plants are an extremely invasive species in Australia that places the mahogany glider species at risk.

Does Lantana Do Well in Pots, Boxes, and Baskets?

Both types of lantana can thrive in containers like pots, flower boxes, or hanging baskets. Use mounding lantana in upright containers and combine with perennials like milkweed or coneflowers. Varieties that do well in pots include Dallas Red, Landmark™ Citrus, or Luscious® Goldengate™.

If hanging baskets for flower boxes are your thing, dwarf lantana is a good option as it only grows from 8-24 inches wide/tall on average, taking up less space than the typical 36 inches of length. Good trailing choices include purple trailing verbena, Luscious Grape®, or Spreading Sunset™. They can successfully share space with Patriot™ Rainbow Compact, Little Lucky™ Red, or Bandana® Lemon Zest.

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