The Easy-To-Grow Lantana Variety With Stunning Flowers That Hummingbirds Love

When you're preparing your yard for hummingbirds, don't forget to pick up a lantana or two! There seems to be a colorful lantana (Lantana camara) cultivar to suit every hummingbird-attracting need. Among the most colorful is 'Confetti,' a spreading lantana that produces dozens of multi-colored flower clusters per plant. Each cluster boasts a confetti of colors, mingling bright red, yellow, and pink petals in one bloom.

It's not hard to see why hummingbirds are drawn to lantana 'Confetti.' From mid-summer through to the first frost, this lantana cultivar flowers profusely on arching stems. Hummingbirds are attracted to nectar-rich red, orange, and pink flowers, and each bloom this cultivar produces has those hues and abundant nectar. In fact, lantana 'Confetti' is a useful addition to any pollinator garden since the flowers also attract butterflies and bees.

Although this low-growing shrub looks as if it's an integral part of the landscape during the growing season, 'Confetti' is actually an annual in most climates. (It can be grown as a perennial in Zones 10 to 11.) You can expect the plant to grow about 3 feet tall and 1 to 3 feet wide. 'Confetti's' compact but spreading nature makes it perfect for pathway borders, fence lines, containers, or groundcover under tall shrubs. Consider, for example, growing 'Confetti' and petunias (Petunia x hybrida) together in a large planter. It's a flower pot combo that will attract colorful hummingbirds. Add a water source and hummingbird feeder nearby to further tempt these tiny, charming birds.

Compared to some flowering shrubs beloved by hummers, it's not difficult to successfully grow and take care of lantana plants, including 'Confetti.' Most gardeners find it more convenient to purchase this cultivar at a garden center rather than grow it from seeds or slips. Whether it's growing in a container, mixed in with other low-growers, or planted in a garden bed, 'Confetti' flowers best in full sun — something that's important if you want to attract lots of hummingbirds. Although it's not choosy about its growing conditions, this low-growing shrub does appreciate well-drained, slightly acidic soil. If your site has clay or alkaline soil, amend accordingly. Lantanas are noted for their salt tolerance, making them useful beach cottage plants.

Plant 'Confetti' in spring, about two weeks after the last expected frost date. Work a little plant food into the planting hole. Keep the roots of your newly planted shrub consistently moist for the first few weeks. Established lantanas will tolerate drought, but they bloom best if watered deeply about once a week — or daily for container plants. You'll also get more hummingbird-attracting flowers if you occasionally prune the plant's tips. Consider a second light application of fertilizer in mid-summer, especially for container plants. Otherwise, 'Confetti' doesn't require much in the way of extra love, other than shielding the foliage from overhead sprinklers, the standing moisture from which can lead to disease. In general, though, a well-cared-for shrub should remain relatively pest- and disease-free.