Lantanas are an extremely pretty ornament for every garden and balcony. This is due to the attractive flowers, which change color over the course of the flowering period, for example from yellow to orange to red. If the plant appears to be unusually slow to bloom, this can have various reasons.
Why isn't my lantana blooming?
If a lantana does not bloom, the causes can be incorrect location, lack of nutrients, lack of pruning, dryness of the ball, waterlogging or lack of patience. Optimize location and care conditions to promote flower formation.
Wrong location
The lantana loves it warm and full sun. In a shady spot, however, the small shrub, which comes from the temperate zones of Central America, produces very few flowers. If this is the cause of the sparse flowering, it is often enough to move it to another location.
Nutrient Deficiency
Like all flowering plants, lantana needs a lot of nutrients. Plants that are cultivated in pots and not repotted annually only have a limited supply of minerals and trace elements available. That's why it's important to fertilize them regularly. After hibernation, you should enrich the irrigation water with a flowering fertilizer (€13.00 on Amazon) every four weeks. Once flowering begins, fertilize every two weeks.
No pruning
Wandry roses only produce many flowers on the young wood, while only a few buds can be found on the older branches. If Lantana blooms very sparsely, it could easily be because the plant was never cut. Since the plant sprouts very willingly, it can be cut back by about a third in the spring.
Ball dryness or waterlogging
The sun-hungry lantanas are extremely thirsty, especially on hot days, and need regular watering. The root ball must never dry out completely and it may even be necessary to water twice a day on very warm days. However, waterlogging must be avoided at all costs. This inevitably leads to root rot and stunted growth, and the hoped-for rich flowering does not occur.
Sometimes a little patience helps
Lanta florets that have been overwintered in a cold room or basement need time to bloom and often bloom later than newly purchased specimens. This is because the plant must first form fresh greenery and then set buds. Be patient, because if the conditions are right you will be able to enjoy the attractive flowers in June at the latest.
Tip
Clean the plant regularly. This means that it keeps producing new flowers and the flowering period lasts until October.
