06/11/2026
Lantana are such an interesting plant š
Not only will they just casually bloom in full-on rainbow mode (love that for them, honestly), but they thrive in the heat, love full sun, and will just keep going right until the end of the season.
Like reallyāthereās no stopping this plant.
(Technically a woody, vining shrub in warmer climates, but thatās a story for our southern neighbours š)
Bright, bold, and completely unapologeticā¦
My kind of plant, to be honest šāāļø
BUT.
With everything that seems a little too good to be trueā¦
There are some drawbacks.
Likeā¦ toxicity.
Seriouslyākeep it away from pets (cats, dogs, horsesā¦ all a no-go)
Or the fact that handling it can cause skin irritation for some peopleāthink rashes, blisters, the whole āmaybe I shouldāve worn glovesā situation š
And letās not forgetāin places like Florida, Texas, Hawaii, and California, lantana is considered invasive, crowding out native plants like it owns the place šæ
And then thereās Ageratumā
aka floss flowerā¦
aka āteddy bear flowersā (thank you to last yearās Grade 1ās for that one, I will never call them anything else again š)
Soft, fluffy, bright blue little clouds of whimsy.
Adorable. Innocent-looking.
ā¦and also wildly invasive in some regions (especially parts of Africa, and even creeping into the southern U.S.)
So here we areā
Surrounded by plants that are absolutely stunningā¦
and just a little bit chaotic behind the scenes.
Proof that even in the garden, beauty can come with a few quirks šæāØ
