Lantana (shrub verbena) trial 2025
Objectives and purpose of the trial
Multiple Lantana cultivars displayed side by side in August 2025
Fiery orange and yellow lantanas add vibrancy to the trial beds
Plants and location
What was planted?
Lantana are tender, evergreen, low-growing shrubs with wrinkled, ovate leaves and domed clusters of bright flowers appearing from late spring through to autumn. Bloom colours range from white, yellow and orange to pink and red, with some selections displaying striking multicoloured clusters as individual flowers fade. Lantana montevidensis typically bears purple or white blooms. When crushed, the foliage releases a distinct scent.
Throughout the trial, the RHS Trials team will document each entry with photographs of both the overall habit and close-up details, while also recording key data such as flowering dates to build a comprehensive picture of performance. The team aims to evaluate each cultivar’s relevance to today’s market, highlight recent breeding developments, and verify the accuracy of names currently used in the trade.
Where was it planted?
Young Lantana plants were planted into the ground and into pots in the Trials Garden at RHS Wisley. As they establish, they will form neat, rounded mounds covered in clusters of brightly coloured flowers, perfect for adding long-lasting colour: Here are some considerations for planting out lantanas:
- Plant lantanas in full sun for the best flowering and growth
- They perform well in containers or directly in the ground
- Lantanas bloom from late spring until the first frost
- Although they are evergreen, most require a frost-free environment to survive winter
- Most varieties stay below 30cm tall, though a few may grow taller
- Deadheading (removing spent flowers) can help extend the flowering period
Judges and criteria
Judges of the trial
The 2025 Lantana judges include: David Creese (Trial Chair and RHS Tender Ornamental Expert Group member), David Austin (St John’s College, Cambridge), Roy Cheek (RHS Tender Ornamental Expert Group member), Martin Einchcomb (Lantana National Collection Holder, Hampton Court Palace), David Ford (RHS Tender Ornamental Expert Group Trials Coordinator), John Hughes (RHS Judge and Tender Ornamental Expert Group member), Lara Jewitt (RHS Judge and Tender Ornamental Expert Group member), David Hurrion (RHS Judge and Tender Ornamental Expert Group member), Stuart Lowen (Bedding plant expert), Greg Redwood (RHS Judge and Tender Ornamental Expert Group member), Yvonne Walker (Plant Retail, former Manging Director of Hayloft Plants) and Christopher Young (RHS Wisley Garden Manager, RHS Tender Ornamental Expert Group member).
Judging criteria
The following factors are all taken into consideration as part of the judging of the trial:
- Floriferousness and length of flowering season
- Flower to foliage balance
- Attractiveness of foliage
- Health and vigour
Lantana flowers cluster in varied shades for a pop of colour
Mounds of Lantana create seasonal interest in October 2025
Cultivation
Planting process
Before planting, the trial bed soil was thoroughly analysed to ensure the conditions were suitable. No issues were found, providing a sound foundation for reliable results. Each entry comprised six plants: three grown in terracotta pots and three planted directly in the ground, all using peat-free compost. These were spaced 50cm apart in a line to allow for even growth and clear visual assessment, and grouped by Series name for easy comparison.
The beds were mulched with strulch (a straw-based mulch) to help retain moisture and suppress weeds. Drip irrigation lines supplied both the container and in-ground plants, providing water and liquid feed twice a week. The plants are being grown with minimal intervention, for example no pruning or deadheading, allowing the trial to assess how well each selection maintains its display and overall form without regular maintenance.
This hands-off approach will reveal which varieties continue to flower freely and maintain their shape and vigour throughout the season, offering valuable insights for both gardeners and breeders.
How we’re managing plant health
I was excited to see the difference in size and habit between the Lantana cultivars as they grew through the summer. From the small and compact plants to much larger, sprawling cultivars.
Discoveries
October 2025 | Lantanas move to new location
Following the final judging meeting of the Lantana trial, Martin Einchcomb returned in October to rehome some of the container-planted Lantana to the National Plant Collection at Hampton Court Palace. Over 70 entries were lifted from their containers and transported to Hampton Court Palace, where they will be preserved as part of the collection.
August 2025 | Pollinator sightings
The judges were on the look out for insect visitors to the trial during the assessment meetings. Among a great range of pollinators, the most memorable visitors were a hummingbird hawk moth and painted lady butterfly (pictured).
Suppliers to the trial
List of plants in the trial
View all the Lantana on trial at RHS Wisley
Handy tools and information
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Get in touch
For more information on our RHS Plant Trials or to access older trial reports, please get in touch with our team via email at [email protected].
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