Well, if you ever find yourself out in the garden and you’re lookin’ at a plant that looks like it might be either lantana or verbena, don’t worry, I’m here to help you tell ’em apart. Now, these two plants, they might seem a bit similar, but trust me, they got their differences. Both of ’em are perennials, which means they come back year after year, but they don’t exactly act the same. Let me tell you a bit more about each of ’em, and you’ll see the difference yourself.
Lantana is a tough one, it is. It loves the sun and can take the heat, and it’ll keep on blooming through the summer and into the fall. The flowers on a lantana, well, they come in a whole mess of colors, like yellow, orange, red, and pink. Some of ’em even look like they’re a mix of different colors all at once. It’s a real showstopper when it’s in bloom, that’s for sure. But, you see, lantana also loves warmth. It doesn’t like the cold much at all, and if you live somewhere that gets real chilly winters, you might need to bring ’em inside or cover ’em up. Otherwise, they might not make it through the frost.
Now, lantanas got leaves that are a bit rough, kind of like a prickly bush, and the smell of them leaves a bit of a punch in the air. Some people say it smells a bit strong, but you get used to it after a while. And the flowers, well, they’re a bit bigger than verbena’s and they grow in little clusters. The flowers themselves are more roundish, you could say, and they ain’t got no forked edges like verbena’s petals do.
Verbena, on the other hand, is a little more delicate, though it can still handle the heat. It’s got smaller flowers, and they bloom in all sorts of colors too, from purples and pinks to whites and reds. The flowers tend to grow in tight little clusters, but they look a bit more spaced out than lantana’s. Verbena is a bit pickier than lantana when it comes to the cold, and it’s more likely to die back in colder winters, so it’s not the best plant if you’re living up north where it gets frosty.
As for the leaves, they’re a bit softer than lantana’s, but still not exactly what you’d call smooth. And the flowers on a verbena, like I said, they got these forked petals, which is the easiest way to tell them apart from lantana. That forked shape is a pretty good clue, trust me.
Now, if you’re looking to attract bees and butterflies to your garden, both of ’em are great for that. They both got brightly colored blooms that these critters just love, and they’ll keep coming back for more. But verbena, because of its smaller flowers, might get a little more attention from smaller pollinators, while lantana might catch the eye of the bigger ones. Either way, you can’t go wrong if you want to bring some life to your garden.
Another thing about verbena is that it doesn’t usually live as long as lantana. Verbena’s more of a short-term plant. It might stick around for 3 or 4 years, but lantana? That one can go on for many years, if it’s well cared for. So, if you’re lookin’ for something that’s gonna last, lantana might be the better choice. But if you just want some pretty flowers for a few years, verbena’s your gal.
And one last thing I noticed… When you’re looking at the flowers, lantana’s petals are a bit smoother, while verbena’s are more jagged and forked. If you look closely enough, you’ll see that difference, even if you’re not much of a gardener.
So, to sum it all up, both plants are beautiful, but they each got their own little quirks. Lantana’s bigger, stronger, and lives longer, but verbena’s smaller, a little more delicate, and might not stick around as long. Both will bring some color to your garden, and if you’re not sure which one to pick, just think about how much sun and heat you get where you live, and whether you want something that’ll last for years or just a few.
Tags：[lantana, verbena, garden plants, perennial flowers, differences between lantana and verbena, how to grow lantana, how to grow verbena, pollinator plants, gardening tips]
