Lantana in Zone 5a & 5b
Lantana camara
Yes, lantana grows in zones 5a and 5b. Set out nursery plants May 24–May 31.
When to plant lantana in zone 5b
Zones 5a and 5b share the same average frost dates, so this page covers both.
Method: Buy as a start: Buy as a nursery start and transplant outside. It's 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 | May 24–May 31 |
| Estimated bloom | Aug 22–Aug 29 (~90 days after transplanting) |
Spacing: about 7 square feet per plant (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 1-2 ft.
Plant alongside it in zone 5b
These go outside within two weeks of lantana in zone 5b, so one planting day can cover them.
- NasturtiumMay 17–May 24
- MarigoldMay 17–May 24
- Angelonia (Summer Snapdragon)May 24–May 31
- Bee BalmMay 24–May 31
- Black-Eyed Susan VineMay 24–May 31
- Chrysanthemum (Garden Mum)May 24–May 31
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 5's season
Zone 5b's frost-free window runs about 148 days, from May 10 to October 5. Lantana needs about 90 days from transplant to first bloom.
Lantana planting windows in every zone
Zone 5b is highlighted. Useful for comparing against a neighbouring zone, or for a garden somewhere else.
| Zone | Start indoors | Sow or plant out | Bloom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3a & 3b | Buy as a start | Jun 13–Jun 20 | Sep 11–Sep 18 |
| 4a & 4b | Buy as a start | May 29–Jun 5 | Aug 27–Sep 3 |
| 5a & 5b (your zone) | Buy as a start | May 24–May 31 | Aug 22–Aug 29 |
| 6a & 6b | Buy as a start | May 9–May 16 | Aug 7–Aug 14 |
| 7a & 7b | Buy as a start | Apr 24–May 1 | Jul 23–Jul 30 |
| 8a & 8b | Buy as a start | Apr 8–Apr 15 | Jul 7–Jul 14 |
| 9a & 9b | Buy as a start | Mar 1–Mar 8 | May 30–Jun 6 |
| 10a & 10b | Buy as a start | Feb 13–Feb 20 | May 14–May 21 |
| 11a & 11b | Buy as a start | Jan 15–Jan 22 | Apr 15–Apr 22 |
Bloom dates are about 90 days after the sow or plant-out date.
Good companions
No well-established companions 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.
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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)
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Growing Lantana in USDA zone 5b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a bloom.
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