January 2020 - 25

MARKETING
Lantana offered in the past was extremely vigorous, almost shrub size
when grown in warm Southern regions. Newer compact lantana series like
the Little Lucky series are now tidier and easier to manage, allowing them
to be grown in containers and baskets.
Bright and bold new colors are now offered in this crop as well,
compared to a more limited color range of primarily white, gold and purple
in the past. Also, in Southern
regions, lantana can be invasive.
The new certified sterile Bloomify
series of lantana bred by the
University of Florida has been a
game changer for those markets.
Wendy: We have made
significant progress in
improving plant habits, making
them bushier and denser, with
larger flowers. Additionally,
we've worked hard to ensure
continual blooming throughout
the gardening season.
In recent years, we have
developed and introduced
several sterile lantana varieties
that are unlikely to outcross
with native species of lantana.
This is important for areas of the country, particularly Florida, where
there is concern about losing native species through outcrossing with the
commercially produced.
Brian: I have seen mostly habit and color changes. The old traditional
lantana varieties were more of a landscape plant that spread and grew
quite tall. The new breeding has made lantana much more compact and
controlled. It has also brought out more vivid colors.
One issue that growers have dealt with regarding lantana is cycling of
The new breeding
has made lantana much
more compact and
controlled. It has also
brought out more
vivid colors.
flowers. Syngenta has done quite a bit of research on this and has tried to
crack the code on what causes it.
The breeding has also focused on the plants being sterile. This helps for
continuous flowering and I am
told it also helps in the South as
the seed pods can be eaten by
birds and then spread around,
making the plant a noxious weed
in some parts of the country (not
up here in Michigan where I am
looking at 6 inches of snow out
my window on Nov. 13!).
GPN: How can growers
capitalize on lantana?
Wendy: The great thing is
there is a lantana variety for
every pot size, and they are
reasonably accessible and fast
to grow in any garden.
Sarah: The newer lantana
genetics on the market give
growers the ability to choose the lantana size option that works best in
the region they grow in or supply. In Southern regions where vigorous
lantana can become an unruly monster, a more compact variety is easier
to manage and will save time for growers. Alternatively, in regions where
the growing season may have less light and heat, a more vigorous lantana
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January 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2020
