Lantana in Zone 3a & 3b
Lantana camara
When to plant lantana in zone 3b
Zones 3a and 3b share the same average frost dates in our data, so this page covers both.
Method: Buy as a start: Buy as a nursery start and transplant outside. Lantana is slow or unreliable from seed, so most gardeners skip seed-starting it entirely.
| Start indoors | Not started from seed; buy as a nursery start |
|---|---|
| Direct sow / transplant outside | Jun 13–Jun 20 |
| Estimated bloom | Sep 11–Sep 18 (~90 days after transplanting) |
Spacing: about 7 square feet per plant (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 1-2 ft.
Lantana is a sprawling, heat-tolerant bloomer that only really makes sense in warm zones (8-11), and worth a second look at which specific cultivar you're buying, since ordinary Lantana camara has a documented invasive track record in mild climates. The flowers come in small, tight clusters that open one color and fade to another, yellow shading to orange or pink fading to white, giving a 2- to 3-foot spreading mound its multicolor look.
How lantana fits zone 3's season
Zone 3b's frost-free window runs about 98 days, from May 30 to September 5. Lantana needs about 90 days from transplant to first harvest.
Good companions
No standout companions recorded yet for Lantana.
Where to buy lantana starts
Lantana is almost always bought as a nursery start rather than seeded. Check a local nursery or garden center; we haven't vetted online start/plant suppliers yet.
See it growing
Search YouTube for "growing lantana" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)
← Back to the full zone 3b calendar · Full companion planting guide · Full plant profile · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →
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Growing Lantana in USDA zone 3b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a bloom.
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