Trailing White Lantana is a low spreading groundcover native to the warmer regions of Uruguay and Argentina in South America. This selection of Lantana montevidensis produces clusters of pure white flowers from spring through fall and performs reliably in hot, dry conditions. Landscape architects and designers value this plant for its drought tolerance, erosion control capabilities, and ability to attract pollinators while requiring minimal water.
Growth Habit and Size
Trailing White Lantana grows as a dense, spreading groundcover that extends up to 3 feet wide and reaches 12 to 18 inches in height. The low, sprawling form creates a thick mat of foliage that suppresses weeds effectively. Small, oval leaves in deep green cover the trailing stems and release a faint scent when touched. This cascading growth habit makes the plant well suited for spilling over walls, containers, raised planters, and sloped areas.
Flowering Season and Bloom Color
This lantana produces abundant clusters of delicate white tubular flowers beginning in spring and continuing through fall. The compact flower heads create a striking contrast against the dark green foliage. As blooms age, they often develop a soft lavender tint, adding visual depth throughout the flowering season. Consistent sunlight produces the most prolific floral display.
Sun and Water Requirements
Trailing White Lantana thrives in full sun and needs at least six hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal flowering. The plant tolerates partial shade but produces fewer blooms in lower light conditions. Once established, this lantana handles extended dry periods with ease and requires minimal supplemental irrigation. Water new plantings regularly during the first growing season to build a strong root system. This drought tolerance makes Trailing White Lantana an excellent choice for water wise landscapes and xeriscaping projects.
Soil and Site Conditions
This adaptable groundcover thrives in well drained soils and tolerates sandy or rocky conditions common in desert and coastal landscapes. Trailing White Lantana performs well on slopes and embankments where erosion control matters. The plant handles the challenging growing conditions found throughout the southern United States, particularly in drought prone regions.
Wildlife Value and Pollinator Benefits
Trailing White Lantana attracts butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds with its nectar rich flowers throughout the growing season. Adding this plant to landscape designs supports local pollinator populations and increases biodiversity. The continuous blooms provide a reliable food source for wildlife from spring through fall.
Toxicity Considerations
Lantana montevidensis 'White' is toxic to pets and livestock if ingested. Landscape professionals should consider placement carefully and avoid specifying this plant in areas where dogs, cats, horses, or other animals have regular access.
Maintenance and Care
This selection requires minimal ongoing care once established. Regular pruning prevents the trailing stems from becoming leggy and keeps the plant from spreading into adjacent planting areas. Trimming once or twice per year maintains a compact, attractive form. Designers should note that lantanas can spread aggressively in some regions, so monitoring growth helps prevent the plant from outcompeting nearby species.
Landscape Design Applications
Landscape architects and designers specify Trailing White Lantana for groundcover mass plantings, slope stabilization, container arrangements, and hanging baskets. The cascading form softens hardscape edges along walkways, retaining walls, and raised beds. This plant works effectively in xeriscaping projects, rock gardens, Mediterranean style landscapes, and pollinator focused designs. The white flowers provide elegant color while supporting sustainable, low maintenance landscape goals.
FAMILY
Verbenaceae
MATURE HEIGHT
3 to 6 ft
GROWTH HABIT
Lantana montevidensis 'White' is a low-growing, sprawling, woody shrub with a spreading or trailing groundcover growth habit, reaching 1-2 feet tall but spreading 2 to 6 feet wide. It forms a dense mat of stems with ovate leaves and produces a prolific display of small, white flowers with yellow centers, often blooming year-round in frost-free climates.
WATER REQUIREMENT
Drought Tolerant
HARDY TO
15°F
NATIVE REGION
Tropical Americas, naturalized in Florida.
TYPE
Perennial
SOIL TYPE
Lantana montevidensis 'White' thrives in well-drained soils and is highly adaptable to a variety of soil textures, including sand, loam, silt, and even clay, provided the drainage is adequate. The key requirement is good drainage, as the plant is drought-tolerant once established and susceptible to root rot in constantly soggy conditions. It is not overly particular about soil pH, growing happily in a range from slightly acidic to neutral or even slightly alkaline conditions (pH 6.0 to 8.0). It generally prefers average to poor soil with low organic material content and performs best with lean soil, as overly rich or heavily fertilized soil tends to produce more foliage than flowers.
MAINTENACE TIPS
'White' trailing lantana is a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plant that requires minimal fertilizer. Water regularly after planting to help the root system develop, then transition to deep, infrequent watering about once a week during dry periods. Avoid over-fertilizing with high-nitrogen products, as this promotes foliage growth over blooms; a light application of balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring is typically sufficient, or monthly with a water-soluble formula for container plants.
ELEVATION
1 to 2 ft
MATURE WIDTH
LEAF SHAPE
Lantana montevidensis 'White' is a low-growing, sprawling, woody shrub with a spreading or trailing groundcover growth habit, reaching 1-2 feet tall but spreading 2 to 6 feet wide. It forms a dense mat of stems with ovate leaves and produces a prolific display of small, white flowers with yellow centers, often blooming year-round in frost-free climates.
FLOWER COLOR
White
FLOWER CHARACTERISTICS
The white-flowered form of trailing lantana is known scientifically as Lantana montevidensis 'Alba' or Lantana montevidensis f. albiflora. This evergreen, woody, and mat-forming perennial shrub is characterized by its sprawling, sometimes vine-like stems that can reach 1 to 2 feet in height while spreading up to 10 feet wide. It features small, dark green leaves that are slightly hairy, have toothed edges, and release a strong odor when bruised. The plant produces numerous small, lightly fragrant white flowers with a yellow eye, which bloom in dense, circular clusters that appear nearly year-round in frost-free regions, attracting pollinators like butterflies and bees.
FRUIT/SEED
The fruit of the Lantana montevidensis 'White' cultivar is a small, spherical drupe, a type of fleshy fruit with a single hard seed, which is green when unripe and turns reddish-purple to purple or black when mature. These fruits are typically 5-8 mm (about 1/6 to 1/3 inch) in size. Each drupe contains a single hard, black seed (nutlet) that is about 4 mm long. It should be noted, however, that many modern cultivars, including some white-flowered varieties, are sterile and may not produce fruit or viable seeds. All parts of the plant, especially the unripe berries, are considered toxic if ingested.
SUN EXPOSURE
Full Sun
POLLINATORS
Lantana montevidensis 'White', a resilient and heat-tolerant sprawling shrub, serves as a significant attractor for diverse pollinators. Its continuous production of nectar-rich white flower clusters from spring through fall makes it a magnet for butterflies, various species of bees (including honeybees and bumblebees), and hummingbirds. This plant is a valuable addition to pollinator gardens, while its aromatic foliage is a natural deterrent to common pests and larger wildlife like deer and rabbits, who tend to avoid it. Beyond pollinators, the plant's berries can be a food source for other birds, enhancing overall garden biodiversity.
PRUNING TIPS
Pruning is essential for maintaining a tidy appearance and encouraging continuous blooms. In late winter or early spring, cut back perennial plants hard, to about 6 to 12 inches from the ground, to remove old, woody growth and stimulate vigorous new shoots. Throughout the growing season, lightly shear the tips of the plant to encourage new flower buds and manage its size. Regularly removing spent flower heads (deadheading) is a good practice to prevent the formation of berries and direct the plant's energy into producing more flowers.
