WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Lantana montevidensis (sellowiana) ssp. & cvs., WUCOLS IV

How often to water trailing lantana in California

In July in the Central Valley, established trailing lantana in loam needs a deep watering about every 20 days: about 8.8 gallons each time for a plant 4 feet across, about 3.0 gallons a week. Trailing lantana is a fast, low groundcover from South America with thin, trailing stems and rough, strongly scented leaves. Round heads of small lilac-purple flowers appear for much of the year in mild Southern California gardens. Once established it handles dry spells well. It grows best in sun and well-drained, even sandy soil.

Ground coverShrubRated for 6 of 6 zones

How often to water trailing lantana, month by month

Your city
Plant width
4 ft
Your soil

Type your city above and the days between waterings and the gallons appear here, worked out from your city's climate table. Or read the figures by climate zone further down.

Every month, on your water days. The personal plan prints this for trailing lantana and the rest of your yard, on the days your water supplier allows.Get the plan for $19

How this is worked out: established roots fill the top 1.5 feet of soil, and you water again when that soil has dried halfway. Loam soil holds about 1.5 inches of water per foot. Water the whole area the plant covers, and skip a watering after a good soaking rain.

Which soil do you have?

Dig down a few inches, take a handful of moist soil and squeeze it.

  • Sandy: gritty, falls apart when you open your hand, will not form a ball.
  • Loam: forms a soft ball that crumbles when you poke it.
  • Clay: forms a firm, sticky ball and squeezes out into a ribbon between thumb and finger.

Still not sure? Pick loam. Most garden beds sit between sand and clay.

How to measure plant width

A shrub with its width marked from one side to the other and the circle under it shaded blue

Measure across the plant, from the tips of the leaves on one side to the tips on the other.

Water the whole area the plant covers, shown in blue. The gallons here cover that area.

A wider plant means more gallons each watering, not more waterings. While it is young, measure again each spring.

How to tell it needs water

  • Soil dry 3 inches down beneath the mat of trailing lantana means the planting is ready for a deep soak
  • Thin trailing stems that stay limp into the morning over dry soil show the roots have run short of water
  • Leaves turning blackish purple after cold nights are normal winter color, not a sign of thirst
  • Stems that blacken and collapse at soil level while the ground stays wet can point to stem rot
  • A white powdery coating on the leaves points to powdery mildew, which extra water will not fix

How to water it

  • Lay drip line in rows under a trailing lantana groundcover so water reaches the soil beneath the mat
  • Soak until water reaches about a foot down, then let the soil dry several inches before the next soak
  • Water at soil level rather than over the top so the dense foliage stays dry
  • Plant in sandy or loamy soil that drains well, and avoid low spots where water pools
  • Extend the drip lines outward as the stems trail several feet beyond the original planting

Through the seasons

Water a new trailing lantana planting through its first summer, until its roots spread under the stems. Established plants get by on much less. It is evergreen and blooms most of the year in mild Southern California, while cold weather tints the leaves purplish. Frost below about 20 degrees F can kill the top growth, and plants can return from the roots after cold near 10 degrees F. Winter rain covers the cool months on the north-central coast, the south coast and in the Central Valley. WUCOLS rates it low water on the north-central coast, in the Central Valley, on the south coast and in South Inland. It rates moderate water in the high desert and the low desert, where summer soil checks matter more.

In pots

Trailing lantana spills over the edge of a hanging basket or a tall pot. Baskets dry out fast, so check the mix an inch or two down often in summer, and daily in peak heat. Water until it drains from the holes, then empty any saucer. In the deserts, a pot in light afternoon shade dries more slowly. In winter, let the mix dry more between soakings. Move the pot under cover if frost below about 20 degrees F is forecast.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
1.07gal per sq ft in JulyLow water use in the Central Valley zone
A year
6.84 gal per sq ft
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses
0.761.52.33.00.16JAN0.26FEB0.43MAR0.61APR0.83MAY0.99JUN1.07JUL0.95AUG0.72SEP0.47OCT0.22NOV0.14DEC0.761.52.33.00.16JFM0.61AMJ1.07JAS0.47OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 1.07 in Jul, 6.84 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

Trailing Lantana: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.150.160.310.310.740.78
Feb0.210.260.320.350.930.93
Mar0.350.430.460.521.461.52
Apr0.470.610.560.641.891.95
May0.580.830.640.782.392.45
Jun0.640.990.690.922.852.79
Jul0.641.070.7913.042.85
Aug0.60.950.740.932.792.6
Sep0.50.720.60.742.142.08
Oct0.350.470.460.531.461.49
Nov0.190.220.330.360.930.96
Dec0.120.140.260.270.650.68
Year4.86.846.27.3721.2721.08

How this is worked out: the WUCOLS water rating for each zone times that zone’s climate for the month. A dash means WUCOLS does not rate the plant there. The figures are what the plant uses, before sprinkler losses.

Plants with the same water needs 16

Rated low water in the Central Valley, like trailing lantana. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

LavenderLavandula spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyRosemaryRosmarinus officinalislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyBougainvilleaBougainvillea & spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyOlive TreesOlea europaea ssp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyCrape MyrtleLagerstroemia spp., hybrids & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyLantanaLantana camara ssp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySalviaSalvia greggii ssp., cvs. & hybridslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyAloeAloe spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySucculentsEcheveria spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyJunipersJuniperus spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyRussian SagePerovskia spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyYarrowAchillea millefolium (non-native hybrids)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySagebrushArtemisia spp. (shrubby)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyWild PrivetLigustrum vulgarelow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyCoralberrySymphoricarpos orbiculatus (SHADE)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySydney Golden WattleAcacia longifolialow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Minutes for your sprinklers

Turn this into minutes on your water days

Every city page has a calculator that takes trailing lantana, your sprinkler type and the month, and gives the minutes per water day for that supplier's schedule. Or put it in a zone of the personal watering plan and get all twelve months printed.

Questions people ask

How often should I water trailing lantana in summer?

In July, established trailing lantana in loam needs a deep watering about every 20 days in the Central Valley, about every 27 days on the south coast and about every 22 days in the South Inland zone. Sandy soil holds less water, so waterings come closer together. Clay stretches them. Check the soil before each watering and skip one after a soaking rain.

How much water does trailing lantana need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established trailing lantana needs about 0.4 gallons a day for a plant 4 feet across and about 1.7 gallons a day for a plant 8 feet across. Give it in deep waterings spread days apart rather than a little every day, so the whole root zone gets wet.

Does watering for trailing lantana change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates trailing lantana separately for each of the six California climate zones: low water in the North-Central Coastal zone, low water in the Central Valley zone, low water in the South Coastal zone, low water in the South Inland zone, moderate water in the High and Intermediate Desert zone, moderate water in the Low Desert zone. The monthly table above shows how the same rating translates into different gallon amounts as reference evapotranspiration changes.

Is trailing lantana invasive in California?

It spreads by seed, and birds and other wildlife carry the seeds away. It has naturalized in California and can turn weedy on hillsides and roadsides. Pull seedlings that come up away from the planting.

Is trailing lantana poisonous?

Yes. It is listed as toxic to people, dogs, cats and horses if eaten. The leaves and sap can irritate skin, so wear gloves when you prune it. Keep children and pets away from the berries.

Does trailing lantana grow near the ocean?

Yes. It tolerates seaside conditions, including salt spray. It does well in sandy coastal soil once its roots are established.

Can trailing lantana hold a slope?

It is used for erosion control on banks in mild climates, where its trailing stems cover the ground. Water a new slope planting with drip so the water soaks in instead of running off. Once rooted it needs far less.

Do deer eat trailing lantana?

Deer seem to leave it alone. Its flowers draw bees and butterflies, so expect pollinators around it while it blooms.

How wide does trailing lantana spread?

It usually stays 1 to 2 feet tall but can trail several feet wide, up to about 10 feet. Space plants with that spread in mind. A white flowered form is also grown.

More plant watering guides

Black LocustCecile Brunner RoseLady Banks RoseCalifornia Wild RoseThimbleberrySalmonberryCoral FountainWhite Sage

Sources