OK, some of you smart people tell me what it is that's keep's attacking my lantana. I've heard of lantana lacebugs, at least that's what I think it was called and guess that could be it, but I don't see any bugs of any kind. All the leaves look like, H&*%, well bad. They are getting all white splotchy and dried out, crispy looking. I thought anybody could grow lantana. Heck there's even some growing out of a crack in the concrete parking lot at McDonald's on the corner and mine's being fed and watered and looks, well bad. What do I do for it. I'm about ready to pull 'em out and trash 'em. I've never had this problem with them before.
Lantana Problems
I hear you--I've had two plants now in third year. They have finally started acting decent this year; but I too threatened to yank them. I don't think they are a big humidity and water fan. They are definitely not a fan of my yard.
Really Lantana? I have to fight to trim my two year old plants to keep them in line... I never knew they could ahve a problem to be honest... they do like it dry - I have yet to water most of mine this summer that are three years old and no porblems thus far...
The one in the big clay pot is doing great--that's what I've learned to do with those "dry " loving Texas natives (rock rose, desert willow, wine cups, skullcap). The asters seem to take anything--even in the ground--and frostweed is fixing to bloom in the ground. Skullcap's doing good in the ground too but its in a terribly dry location. Under a thick overhanging eave--south side of house.
But the lantana? well, its just being lantana...but its acted this way for the last three years so nothing new.
My lantana look wonderful about 1/2 the time- this is not that 1/2. In the hot part of the summer they look like...well you know what I mean. Yes the leaves look horrible, etc. and I have in the past cut them back because they look so bad, doesn't really help- told them I was yanking them out and going to replace them w/ something pretty, that doesn't help either. Like Debbie I have come to accept that they are just being lantana. Deb you are right, I don't think they like all the moisture and might help if we had better draining soil, but we don't. When I plant lantana in the ground I always plant something near it that will look nice so that I don't have to look at the lantana. Near one of mine (orange and red- forget the exact name but so common) I have variegated hummingbird bush and near the other (the pink one that does so well and looks so great that 1/2 of the year) I have Abelia Edward Goucher - think that is the name, anyway, it's got lovely red stems and great pink flowers. If I didn't have these other things to look at I'd do what Deb does, put it in a pot.
No problems with Lantanas here either.
I'm quite convinced the plant hates me.
This same problem first started with my lantana (In the ground or pot-either way) about 3 yrs ago....all the leaves will eventually have this " blight"... crud,...whatever you want to call it....and many leaves will die off....last year,...my largest plant dropped all its leaves after this condition....and then grew back new ones...shortly thereafter. Earlier today, I was considering coming to DG to ask the same question.
Do you suppose it could be pollution or something similar?
Mine don't lose their leaves or anything like that, they just sit there and refuse to bloom. So I let it.
crowellii,
Could it be a rain shower in the heat of the day blistering the leaves? Or a neighbor using a sprinkler then the sun hitting them? I have seen a short shower on a sunny day cook my elephant ears.
It doesn't seem to be caused by rain or watering. I think it is some kind of pest problem. They look almost like the azelia leaves one they get those lacewing things on them. The whole lantana leaf starts looking kind of stippled with white specs then some of the specs run together to form patches, leaves feel dry and crispy and the plant quits blooming. I remember seeing something about this and a new resistant variety, but can't remember where. Maybe the Texas A&M site. I'll look around and see and if I figure it out, I'll post since this doesn't seem to be affecting only mine. Thank y'all for all the input.
O.K. the critters are Lantana Lace Bugs. I found this info at http://ipm.ncsu.edu/current_ipm/99PestNews/99News8/ornament.html
The lantana lace bug is native from Florida across to Texas and southward into Brazil. Lantana is used as an ornamental plant here, but in areas further south lantana is a weed that forms dense, spiny thickets on large areas of land. The lantana lace bug has even been introduced into other countries for biological control! Lantana lace bugs can actually defoliate lantana. These insects grow through five dull, spiny, nymphal stages in about 2 weeks. The 3 or 4 mm long adults start laying eggs after 5 or 6 days. The eggs are inserted into the lower leaf surface in groups of 10 to 30. Lantana is the only host plant on which the lantana lace bug causes any significant damage.
Now if we can just find out what to do about them!
I looked around and found a couple of web pages with some pertinent info (I'm just learning how to make a hyperlink - hope this goes right!):
[HYPERLINK@http://www.aces.edu/dept/extcomm/newspaper/june17a03.html]
[HYPERLINK@http://msucares.com/newsletters/pests/bugwise/2005/bw1605.pdf]
Interestingly,...the lace bug also attacks azaleas and verbena. If one is adamently against using insecticides,..
then persistent (and repeated) blasting the undersides of the leaves (once the lace bug is discovered present) with water stream
is recommended. I've included a photo of the lace bug
(TAMU has some info on this critter as well) Lee
This message was edited Jul 29, 2006 4:06 PM
Well,...I'm not doing something right for the hyperlink - sorry!
any guidance? Thanks!
my lantanas that grow wild in my alley...gorgeous...and no water added to them at all this year....then 2 of the 4 lantana that i bought to put in pots.....WELL they suck....so who knows....i think they know when you NEED them to look good and they don't....(grin)
I have the wild pastel color lantanas growing here...nothin seems to bothered those...sigh...
Mine look great too, but from the sound of the lace bug, it could all be gone south in no time if they decided to visit.
Willis, try going to the page you want to hyperlink, right click in the address bar at the top and choose "copy". Then go post it by right clicking again and seleting "paste".
Yep,...did exactly that....I'm perplexed.
You are not alone with your lantana lace bug problem. It is very common. I have fought it for several years, and not wanting to use an insecticide, because it is a nectar plant for butterlies and hummingbirds, I would cut it back to the ground and let it regrow. It would look OK for awhile and then go bad again. This year I pulled it out and planted Blue Daze. Problem solved.
Blue Daze? Will that do well here in Dallas? 8a/7b?
Doesn't look like it's an option for us. :-(
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/194/index.html
CJ, would neem oil for lantana be bad for hummers?
I have planted lantana 2 different times and had the same problem yall are describing. I have felt like a failure because it seem EVERYONE can grow them. I was glad to see this "can't grow lantana support group!" I cut them back and sprayed with neem oil but haven't seen much improvement. I'm ready to yank them out.
vossner - I can't imagine Neem would be good, but I just don't know. But I really don't think it will help with lantana lace bug. Really.
I don't see why Blue Daze won't work in Ft Worth. It is a tender perennial for us here, and because it comes back so slow, I use it as an annual and start all over each year.. It's beautiful out there right now....I love the blue of the flowers, and the grayish green leaves. Lantana isn't perennial for you either, is it?
CJ
I am surprised that blue daze wouldn't work for ftworth too. As for lantana, I enjoy it when it's looking good and ignore it the rest of the time.
lantana sure is perennial up here - and gets bigger every year... Blue Daze is an annual and I just dont mess with many annuals..
Lantana is a perennial here, at least for me it is. That hardiness limits may be wrong on the blue daze. I haven't seen it here in the nurseries, but then wasn't looking for it.
My Blue Daze has made it back for three years in a row. In early spring I clip any frost damaged bits and throw on a handful of Osmocote and stand back. Mine are huge now. I know I may occasionally loose them, but they grow so fast are so trouble free, that I would definitely replant them.
Shelia - I have tried this three times, our winters just get a little tooo cold.
But you could grow them as annuals, and I personally think they're worth it! Of course, it's up to you... :-) If you don't wanna, I'm sure not gonna make you. LOL
Well you could if you gave me a start of it next spring! LOL!
That can be arranged!
oooo...I love my Blue Daze.....I have it growing in and around some low growing lavender lantana...and the combo is really pretty. It went thru our winter just fine and is doing great out in the front flowerbed.
I seem to be having sort of the same problem with other lantanas that I have. Sort of crispy lookin' leaves...sort of yellowish....I do believe I've seen those little lace bugs up to no good...
I think I'll keep my lantana.
Me too! Good luck on your's next year!
When the bugs are on the lantana do they quit bloooming? I have some under a brugs and I am afraid it may get over watered. but I agree that 1/2 the time they look like weeds with no bloom. I am thinking about migrating to verbena. but I have had trouble with those too. Maybe it is the time of year or we have had too much rain.
We've had deluges then 3 weeiks without rain. Can't doo much with that.
No blooms? Mine here have nonstop blooms from early spring to frost...
Caraboof, I'm with you on the lantana. Mine bloomed earlier in the year and hasn't had a bloom in months. The foliage looks horrible frfom the lacebugs and I've given up. I didn't have any problems with them for years and now they won't do a thing but look like they're dieing. I've pulled part of them out and the few that are left are coming out this weekend. I think it's the same with a lot of plants. Once the become very widely planted in a small geographic area, pests that target them can spread rapidly from one yard to the next. Red Tip Photenias are a very good example of this. For years everybody you saw that was planting a hedge put those in and then some kind of fungal disease hit and wiped a lot of them out. It's happening with lacebugs and azelias too.
Hi there Crowellli,
I feel your pain...my lantanas are looking crispy, browish, spotted...just as you described your lantanas. I noticed that the ones I have planted in the front of my house are fine...pretty ect. But the ones in my backyard are doing poorly. I analyzed the situation and carefully examined my plants and have concluded that they are infested with mealy bugs (white, very small ,along with honeydew..which turns brown /black.) The bugs ,as usual ,are mostly on the undersides of leaves. The Lantana in question, are in a rather moist area, not the greatest drainage either. I think by my not planting them in the right spot, as the ones in my front yard, I placed them at a disadvantage regarding their cultural requirements....I think they can be salvaged however by moving, pruning and spraying. Hope this helps, Caroline
Hi superk. Thanks for your lantana input. Mine are in a raised, well drained bed with amended soil and watered by the sprinkler system 2 to 3 times per week. I have hibiscus, esperanza, copper plants, blue daze, daylilies, salvia guaranitica and confederate rose in the same bed and they are all doing fine, so I don't think it's a soil/moisture/fertilizer problem. I love lantana blooms, but I'm just giving up on them in ground. Maybe I'll try one of the new trailing varieties that's supposed to be resistant to the lacebug (according to the A&M superplants site) in a pot.