Flowers!

[Neli]

Here lantana is everywhere. The birds bring the seeds and they grow just like weeds. I have many in the garden...seems I can not dig out and throw away enough of them. But I dug out one from the garden for this competition, and when the gardener brought it...it was just too big but very very nice trunk, big and with lots of movement. Apparently they are very easy bonsai. I did some research on them, need to look for it for you.
Here is my lantana trunk.It does not look so good on the picture...but it is fantastic in real life. I have chopped that long branch meanwhile just above the first bend.

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and here is the info...I have shortened it for you to the important things.
Tree of the Month - May 2002: Lantana
by Ken Schultz
Many of you may be familiar with Lantana as a flowering garden plant, that can be placed in the yard from frost to frost. At last Summer's Society show, Dale Cochoy had a number of small specimens, that some of you purchased. I originally became interested in adding a Lantana to my bonsai collection when I saw a specimen plant at the Indoor Bonsai nursery. I was fascinated by its gnarled woody trunk, serrated elongated hart shaped leaves and the verbena like flowers held above the leaves on thin sticks.
In "Outstanding American Bonsai" by Randy T. Clarke and Peter Voynovich, Photographer, 1984, a specimen tree belonging to James J. Smith of Vero Beach Florida is shown as bonsai #26 . The tree was collected by James Smith in 1959 when the tractor clearing his lot pulled it out of the ground. Smith salvaged the plant, and at the time of the photograph (no flowers) it had been in training for 28 years and stood 23" high. It was shown in a round grey-black matte finish pot. Its spread was about 40" and it was a slanting style.
In the January/February 1994 Volume XXXIII, Number 1 issue of Bonsai Magazine, an article written by Alberto Cruz of Miami Florida is accompanied with photographs by James Smith. This article, simply titled "Lantana" tells the reader that Lantana is an old Italian word for Viburnum, which the Lantana leaf resembles. Lantana does belong to the verbena family, naturally occurring from Florida through Panama and tropical Asia and Africa. In its natural habitat it grows as a mostly erect evergreen herb shrub, reaching up to 10 feet tall to 12' wide. It is found mostly in exposed areas and dry terrain, having infertile ground or rocky subsoil. It is hardy in zones 8 to 11 (we're 5).
Flowers (1 -2" diameter clusters) are year round, though in Ohio, indoors they may tend to be cyclic, with stronger flowering after being placed back outdoors. The compound flowers range in color; both in the same compound flower and from plant to plant, in hues of red, orange, lilac, yellow, white, or blue. There are more than 150 species. One of my gardening books (Encyclopedia of Flowers) mentions that the stems are prickly, and the foliage is covered in short hairs. I have noted the leaf hairs, but not the prickly stems. Yellow and orange flowing specimens seem to be the most common. Small black berries may develop by Summer's end if old blooms are left on. The seeds must be fairly prolific and virile, as the books refer to Lantana as a weed in Florida.
When transplanting Lantana, place it in full shade during the first 15-20 days. Roots can be trimmed as short as 5 - 10" away from the trunk (closer on smaller specimens). However, before trimming the roots, trim the top first. When trimming, make sure that your cuts are very smooth. Prior to transplanting Lantana, the "Bonsai Magazine" article recommends watering heavily 15 minutes before, to maximize internal hydration. They also recommend dampening your soil mix prior to planting; then do not water for the first 12 - 18 hours to avoid root rot. For your first watering use "Superthrive". Over potting will promote both branch and root growth. One book recommended transplanting every two years, in the Spring. The other every year in September or October. However, the second author is from Italy.
Once established, Lantana are fast growers and therefore, consume more water that most tropicals. This is why a fast draining soil mix is needed, to prevent rotting of the roots and bark. To prevent rotting you may need to use a fungicide during rainy periods; however, be cautious as fungicide prevents new buds or branches from sprouting. Once new shoots appear the plant can be moved to partial sun, preferably morning. The gardening books say to place the plant in full sun, but the bonsai books recommend partial shade; due to the thirstiness of the plant in full sun. During active growth, fertilize every 10 days using a 15-30-15 liquid, but do not over fertilize. If you do, leaves will become stiff and dull and eventually the plant will die. In an article written by Susan Bartlett, "For Beautiful Butterflies, Plant Lantana" , Birds and Blooms #23, she warns to much fertilizer will result in lush leaves but few flowers.
Since Lantana can grow rapidly, you will need to prune to encourage branching. While it is tempting to allow branches to grow for flowering, they should be cut to one, two or three leaf bud sets. Branching is similar to maples, appearing in pairs. Defoliation will reduce leaf size. Wiring can be tricky, as the new growth is extremely delicate, but woody growth is very brittle. Therefore, wire when the new growth is 4 - 6"long using 1.5mm or 2mm aluminum wire. It may be necessary to rewire as often as every 2 - 3 weeks during periods of vigorous growth.
Pests: I have noticed that white fly seem to be very fond of Lantana. Frequently, hatching shortly after the plant has been brought indoors. Malathion and the breeze from a fan helped control this problem. Two to three inch long cuttings may be propagated in sand under glass. Encyclopedia of Gardening says cuttings should be taken in February or March and kept between 60-70 degrees F. Bartlett notes that bedding plant branches may root where they touch the ground. During the Winter, the plants may be kept as cool as 41 - 46 degrees. They reportedly need a rest period and will do better. During winter, watering can be reduced, but do not let the root ball dry out.
My other sources of information were:
Bonsai: The Complete illustrated guide to growing and caring for miniature plants and trees; Luigi Crespi, 1989 Italy
Bonsai in Your Home: An Indoor Growers Guide; Paul Lesniewicz, 1991 Germany


General Information: Lantana is an evergreen shrub with rough textured bark, rough, pointed, toothed and scented leaves which grows wild throughout Florida. It has small pink and yellow cluster flowers in the summer. Native to SE USA. Grows as wild, erect shrub in a rambling, spreading habit. Well developed trunked specimens may be collected. It is noative to Tropical America. Its leaves are simple, opposite, oblong-obate, to 5 inches long, puckered, interveninal gegions, rough, rugose surface, aromatic when crushed, margins bluntly toothed. Stems are hairy and prickly.
Available commercially in nurseries but found extensively in the wild. Because lantana grows as a weed in Florida collected specimens are a prime source for bonsai. They can be collected in the spring or right on through summer. Such specimens usually have poor root systems but given reasonable care, recover well. They can often be found with old, thick, gnarled trunks. Lantana may also be propagated from seed of the fruit and by cuttings and air layering. Flowers are orange, yellow, red, pink, 4-5 united, lobed petals to 1/4 inch across, in terminal or axillary heads to 2 inches across. Flowers in summer and fall. Fruit is drupe-like berry, clustered, fleshy, black to 1/2 inch in diameter, toxic, irritant sap. Highly salt tolerant.
Family: Verbenaceae.
Lighting: Require full sun. Once the desired style is attained, leaves may be dwarfed by stripping all the leaves off and later removing any which grow to be too large.
Temperature: Zone 9b. Lantana is a tropical plant which should be protected from cold weather.
Watering: Can go dry between waterings.
Feeding:Lantana is a heavy feeder and likes frequent fertilizing with a general purpose fertilizer.
Pruning and wiring: Lantana may be styled in any bonsai manner, but usually looks best as a semi-cascade or informal upright. It can be cut back drastically. Older branches become brittle and extreme care must be given to wiring and bending. Find supplies atwww.hollowcreekbonsai.com

Propagation: Cuttings, layering, seeds.
Repotting: Once established the bonsai should be repotted every one to three years.
Pests and diseases: Chewing insects.