Susan,

I'm quite a bit north of you in Madison (near Huntsville.) I need big ones, but everything I see says Miss Huff won't survive here. Thank you for the offer, but I won't be at the swap anyway.

Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen any other big lantana bushes here. A little more Googling and I have found a variety with seeds called "Mozelle." Also, several references to people inheriting unnamed excessively large seeded cultivars from unknown sources. I have to wonder if I had pass-a-longs the previous owner planted, and since they don't produce true from seed, that could explain the color variation.

Why are we always one zone away from what we want to grow? :) I want them because the bees and butterflies went nuts over them all summer long. Plus the extra long bloom period is unusual for an perennial.

I do know there is a annual and a hardy form. I bought mine at the Greenery in the Hampton Cove area.

All lantana are perennials, some are just hardier than others.

A quickie Google suggests that good old Miss Huff is one of the hardiest cultivars, Alabamanicole. With some protection in the form of mulch, it might be a worthy contender for you in our part of Alabama. I've seen good reports about it doing well in zone 7.

Nicole, Miss Huff looks like the kind growing along my fence, here when I moved in. I agree with rhizo, did a google of "lantana miss huff zone" and without even clicking any of the links I could see numerous references listing its' hardiness to zone 7. If you would like some seeds and pay the postage, I'd be happy to send them when they ripen. The balls are all still green now. As far as them coming true, they look the same wherever they pop up in the area, and I don't think the butterflies and bees care what color the flowers are, although you might. Mine are yellow/orange.

The guy who bought my old house recently contacted me for a favor... I'm going to root some cuttings and see if they make it. Perhaps they were in just the right microclimate, or perhaps they are old fashioned varieties that inherited some hardier traits.

I went out to the old place today and was crushed to learn he cut down all the hardy lantana except one which was never as robust as the others. I guess he didn't know what "lantana" was even though he said he did. I will give it a try,

Never go back to a place that you poured your heart and soul into the gardens if the people who bought it from you weren't gardeners. *sigh*

On the other hand, I got to see some specimens that did well gone "natural." The highbush cranberries I planted hoping they would become a tall sun and windbreak on the west side of the house were gorgeous. 3 years old and they are over 8' tall and weeping with bright red berries against lime green leaves -- much prettier than the pictures online. And the loropetalum had a lovely un-clipped form -- no longer 9" tall, but 4'x5' wide.

alabamanicole, I know this post is very old, but I am wondering if time has shown you an answer? I have a somewhat similar situation- poured a lot of energy, sweat, and money into something that was decimated as soon as I left. I had a gorgeous lantana that I loved because of its beauty and the visitors it attracted; but now that I am in a different zone I am struggling to keep a lantana alive. I am currently in Madison, AL. Thank you very much!

Well, I have three or four variants that survive in 7a (Nw Arkansas and prior NE Oklahoma). There are definitely cold-hardy selections...but they're only found at mom and pop nurseries or as hand-me-downs.

I live between Arab and guntersville there's a Dr office on th 69 that has a red and orange lantana that gets big it's planted around Japanese maples it comes back very year that 10 years it has anyways very petty and there's hardy bananas I grow come back angels trumpets elephant ears canna even needle palms and these where exposed to the deep cold we had in 2010 i don't baby them they get fed as they come back

Yes, I can attest to having everything but the brugs mentioned successfully wintered. My 7 yr old Lantanas had a base of new growth area as wide as a bushel baskets opening. I'm sure mine here in Arkansas will eventually get that big, but not as fast as they're planted as foundation "shrubs" due to drainage issues. They are however approaching their fourth year (this spring) outdoors.

Well the yellow orange looking Angel trumpets seem to be root hardy bit in trying to grow confederate jasmine and few with a few other things I'm 7b I like testing and pushing limits see what I can get away with

Oh, I had confederate jasmine too (inherited..not planted), but it never bloomed in z7 for me.

Thank you both very much! Mike, I was given elephant ears in a pot and have considered putting some in the ground to see how they do. Are your elephant ears near a water source?

dbarron, how does one grow lantana as a hand-me-down? Thanks, again!

From cuttings, of course ;0 It roots quite dependably. I've given away some a few times.

I have them in a mixed border along my pasture fence this year's rains where enough but I just drown them real good if we don't get enough rain

A well-established lantana seldom if ever needs supplemental water, at least in Oklahoma. Where are you? Ok, googling says Alabama, can hardly believe it needs supplemental watering there...but I haven't lived there...so what do I know ?

I live in Madison Alabama, have 3 varieties of Lantanas (red/orange, red/pink, pink/yellow), all of them have thrived and come back every year without me making much effort (it’s the third year they came back for me). The red/orange and red/pink varieties are much bigger up to 4’ tall and wide. Hope Nicole and everyone here are doing great and still enjoying gardening. Best wishes!