Trailing Purple Lantana is a low growing, spreading groundcover native to South America. This selection of Lantana montevidensis produces clusters of vibrant purple flowers from spring through fall and performs exceptionally well in hot, dry climates. Landscape professionals choose this plant for its reliable performance, minimal water needs, and ability to attract pollinators to designed spaces.
Growth Habit and Size
Cascading Purple Lantana grows as a trailing groundcover that spreads 3 to 4 feet wide while staying 12 to 18 inches tall. The stems cascade naturally, making this plant an excellent choice for retaining walls, raised planters, hanging baskets, and sloped areas where erosion control matters. Deep green, ovate leaves cover the spreading branches and release a distinctive fragrance when touched.
Flowering Season and Bloom Color
This lantana produces abundant clusters of small purple flowers beginning in spring and continuing through the warm months. The blooms appear consistently when the plant receives adequate sunlight, providing reliable seasonal color for commercial and residential landscapes. Peak flowering occurs during the warmest months of the year.
Sun and Water Requirements
Trailing Purple Lantana thrives in full sun locations and tolerates partial shade, though flowering decreases with less light. Once established, this plant requires minimal supplemental irrigation and handles extended dry periods well. Water new plantings regularly during the first growing season to develop a strong root system. In desert climates, occasional deep watering during extreme heat promotes healthier growth and more consistent blooms.
Wildlife Value and Pollinator Benefits
Butterflies and bees actively seek out the nectar rich flowers of this trailing lantana. Planting Cascading Purple Lantana supports pollinator populations and adds movement and life to garden spaces. The dense foliage also provides cover for small birds and beneficial insects throughout the landscape. Maintenance and Care
This selection requires little ongoing maintenance once established. Pruning once or twice per year encourages bushier, more compact growth and refreshes the plant's appearance. Trailing Purple Lantana resists most common pests and diseases. Good air circulation around the foliage helps prevent occasional powdery mildew in humid conditions.
Landscape Design Applications
Landscape architects and designers specify Trailing Purple Lantana for multiple applications including groundcover mass plantings, container arrangements, vertical garden installations, and border edging. The cascading form softens hardscape edges along walkways, pools, and patios. This plant works well in xeriscaping projects, Mediterranean style gardens, and pollinator focused designs where water conservation and wildlife habitat rank as priorities.
FAMILY
Verbenaceae
MATURE HEIGHT
3 to 6 ft
GROWTH HABIT
Lantana montevidensis 'Trailing Purple' exhibits a low-growing, sprawling, and ground-hugging habit, functioning as a fast-growing, evergreen subshrub or a warm-climate annual. Its multi-stemmed form features vine-like, sometimes woody, stems that can reach a height of 1 to 2 feet (30-60 cm) while spreading aggressively to a width of 3 to 10 feet (0.9-3 m) or more. The stems are known to root where they make soil contact, forming a dense, mat-like groundcover that is ideal for cascading over walls or the edges of containers.
WATER REQUIREMENT
Drought Tolerant
HARDY TO
15°F
NATIVE REGION
Tropical Americas, naturalized in Florida.
TYPE
Perennial
SOIL TYPE
Lantana montevidensis 'Trailing Purple' thrives in average, well-drained soil of various types, including clay, loam, chalk, or sand, and is highly adaptable to poor or lean soil conditions. The key requirement is excellent drainage, as the plant is drought-tolerant and susceptible to root rot in constantly wet or standing water. It is not particular about the pH, growing well in slightly acidic to neutral and even mildly alkaline soils ranging from 6.0 to 8.0.
MAINTENACE TIPS
Once established, 'Trailing Purple' is a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plant that requires infrequent, deep watering, allowing the soil to dry out between waterings to prevent root rot. Container plants, however, require more frequent watering and should not be allowed to dry out completely. Avoid over-fertilizing, as this can reduce bloom production; a single application of a balanced slow-release fertilizer in early spring is usually sufficient. This plant is a perennial in USDA zones 8-11 and may be grown as an annual in colder regions.
ELEVATION
1 to 2 ft
MATURE WIDTH
LEAF SHAPE
The leaves of the Lantana montevidensis 'Trailing Purple' are a dark green, broadleaf evergreen, and simple type, with an ovate shape and serrated or crenate margins. They are arranged oppositely along the stem and possess pinnate or net venation. The foliage has a notable coarse, rough, and slightly hairy (pubescent) texture, and when bruised or crushed, the leaves emit a strong, unpleasant aroma. The leaf blades typically measure about 1–3 inches in length and less than 1 inch in width, and the leaves can be a skin irritant for some individuals.
FLOWER COLOR
Purple
FLOWER CHARACTERISTICS
The flowers of Lantana montevidensis 'Trailing Purple' are the plant's most notable feature, blooming profusely in dense, rounded, and slightly fragrant clusters known as umbels or heads, typically about 1.5 inches across. Each cluster is composed of numerous tiny, individual tubular flowers that are only about 0.5 inches wide. The blooms display a vibrant color palette, opening as a mix of lilac or lavender-purple petals with a contrasting white and yellow throat or "eye," and as the flower matures, it generally deepens to a more uniform purple hue. The flowers open sequentially, starting from the outer edge of the cluster and moving inward, creating a continuous display of color that attracts pollinators, especially butterflies and bees.
FRUIT/SEED
The fruit of Lantana montevidensis 'Trailing Purple' is a small, round, fleshy drupe (a 'berry-like' fruit) that is green when young and matures to a reddish-purple or purple-black color. This fruit typically measures 6-8 mm (about 0.2-0.3 inches) across and contains a single hard seed. All parts of the plant, including the berries, are considered toxic if ingested, although in nature the seeds are dispersed by birds. It is important to note that many commercially available cultivars of 'Trailing Purple' are sterile and may not produce fruit or viable seeds.
SUN EXPOSURE
Full Sun
POLLINATORS
Lantana montevidensis 'Trailing Purple' is a pollinator magnet, specifically attracting butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds to its nectar-rich, purple flowers, which provide a valuable food source. It is also visited by various species of butterflies, including Eastern Tiger Swallowtails and Gulf Fritillaries, and provides a significant food source, particularly during butterfly migration season.
PRUNING TIPS
Pruning is vital to maintain the plant's shape, encourage bushier growth, and promote continuous blooming. In areas where it is a perennial, prune hard in late winter or early spring (cutting stems back to 6-12 inches from the ground) to remove dead or weak stems and stimulate new growth. Throughout the growing season, regularly deadhead spent flowers and lightly shear or trim the stem tips to encourage branching and a future flush of flowers.
