Fill The Gaps In Your Garden Bed With A Colorful Lantana Variety That Butterflies Love

When planting garden beds, getting the spacing right can be a challenge. Not leaving enough room can cause the plants to compete for resources. Leaving too much space can create ugly gaps and contribute to soil erosion. A good solution is to fill those garden bed gaps with 'Bandito Rose' lantana (Lantana camara), a colorful variety that butterflies love.

'Bandito Rose' is part of Syngenta Flowers' patented Bandito Group, a collection of lantana camara cultivars. This plant is a small, annual broadleaf shrub that has pretty pink and yellow flower clusters. This variety grows to a height and width of 12 to 14 inches. This naturally compact plant lends itself well to filling in garden bed gaps.

If you live alongside deer and other wildlife, the plants you choose to include in your garden can either attract or deter them. Selecting flowering plants for your garden that are deer resistant is essential for a beautiful garden that won't become a snack for the local herd. Lantana attracts beautiful butterflies and hummingbirds, but deer don't like it.

This lantana variety thrives in hot, humid weather conditions. Although 'Bandito Rose' can be grown as a perennial in the hottest areas of the U.S., zones 10 and 11, it is grown as an annual throughout most of the country because it is only cold-tolerant down to 25 degrees Fahrenheit.

The 'Bandito Rose' lantana is among the stunning types of lantana plants to add a burst of color to your garden. These versatile blooms are perfect for filling in gaps in garden beds, planting in container gardens, pots, and hanging baskets. The plant grows best in garden beds when placed in well-draining loam, clay, or sandy soil in full sun and tolerates dry conditions, making it a good choice for drought-resistant landscapes and low water gardening.

Although mature lantana plants are drought-tolerant, they require regular watering until they become well-established. After that, water the plants when the top inch of soil is dry. They will need more water during periods of hot, dry weather. Adding a layer of organic mulch to the base of the plants will help the soil retain moisture and suppress weed growth.