Appearance

Lantana camara is a perennial shrub that can grow from 6-15 ft. (1.8-4.6 m).

Foliage

Leaves are ovate and opposite along the square stem. Stems and leaves emit an unpleasant “spicy” smell when crushed.

Flowers

Flowers are colorful, tubular, 4-petaled and occur nearly all year long. Flowers can be orange, pink or white with different colored flowers occurring in the same cluster.

Fruit

Fruits are small, round drupes, green to black and shiny and contain 2 seeds.

Ecological Threat

Lantana camara is native to Central and South America and occurs in open to partly shaded moist areas. It was introduced into the United States in the 1800s and is still sold as an ornamental for landscaping. May be confused with threatened native species with which it readily hybridizes.

Resources

• Invasive Species Management Plans for Florida - University of Florida - Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants

Selected Images

Maps

Invasive Listing Sources

• Alabama Invasive Plant Council
• Apalachicola Invasive Working Group
• California Invasive Plant Council
• Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council - Category 3
• Jil M. Swearingen, Survey of invasive plants occurring on National Park Service lands, 2000-2007
• John Randall, The Nature Conservancy, Survey of TNC Preserves, 1995.
• Nonnative Invasive Species in Southern Forest and Grassland Ecosystems
• Reichard, Sarah. 1994.  Assessing the potential of invasiveness in woody plants introduced in North America. University of Washington Ph.D. dissertation.
• WeedUS - Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States

References