Add Fiery Color to Your Phoenix Yard with Red & Gold Lantana

Red Lantana (Lantana camara) is one of the most eye-catching, low-maintenance perennials you can grow in the Phoenix Valley. Producing clusters of bold red and gold flowers from spring through fall, this tough shrub handles Arizona’s extreme heat with ease. Growing 2–3 feet tall and spreading 2–4 feet wide, Red & Gold Lantana is a favorite in Scottsdale, Chandler, Mesa, Gilbert, and Tempe landscapes where vibrant, year-round color and water savings matter most.

Red & Gold Lantana Plant Details

Why Red & Gold Lantana Thrives in Phoenix Landscapes

Lantana camara is native to tropical regions of the Americas and has proven itself as one of the toughest flowering shrubs for desert climates. Red & Gold Lantana loves full sun and reflected heat — conditions that would stress most flowering plants. Once established, it requires minimal supplemental irrigation and keeps producing its signature bicolor flower clusters through Phoenix’s hottest months. Butterflies and hummingbirds flock to the nectar-rich blooms, making it a top pick for pollinator gardens across the Valley.

Perfect Uses for Red & Gold Lantana

Use Red & Gold Lantana as a colorful foundation planting along house walls and fences where reflected heat is intense. It makes an excellent mass planting for slope stabilization and erosion control in Scottsdale foothill properties. Plant it as a low border hedge along walkways or pool areas for continuous color. It pairs beautifully with other desert-adapted perennials like Yellow Bells, Purple Trailing Lantana, and Ruellia in mixed beds. Container planting works well for patios and courtyards in Tempe and Mesa homes.

How to Plant Red & Gold Lantana in Arizona

Plant in full sun with well-draining soil. Dig a hole twice the width of the root ball and the same depth. Backfill with native soil — lantana does not need amendments. Space plants 2–3 feet apart for a full, continuous look. Water deeply after planting and apply 2–3 inches of gravel or rock mulch around the base to retain moisture and suppress weeds. Fall and spring are ideal planting times in Phoenix, though lantana can be planted year-round with proper watering during establishment.

How to Water Red & Gold Lantana in Phoenix

During establishment (first 4–6 weeks), water every 2–3 days. Once roots are set, transition to deep watering once every 7–10 days in summer and every 2–3 weeks in winter. Established lantana is extremely drought-tolerant and often survives on rainfall alone in normal monsoon years. Overwatering can cause leggy growth and reduce flowering, so let the soil dry out between waterings. In containers, water when the top 2 inches of soil feel dry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Red & Gold Lantana attract pollinators?

Yes, lantana is one of the best butterfly and hummingbird plants for Phoenix gardens. The nectar-rich flower clusters attract painted ladies, queens, swallowtails, and multiple hummingbird species throughout the blooming season.

Is Red & Gold Lantana toxic to pets?

Lantana berries and foliage are toxic if ingested by dogs, cats, and livestock. Plant in areas where pets do not graze, and remove any green berries that form. The flowers themselves are generally not a concern.

How do I prune Red & Gold Lantana?

Cut lantana back by one-third to one-half in late February before new spring growth begins. This encourages bushier growth and more prolific blooming. Deadheading spent flower clusters throughout the season promotes continuous flowering.

Does lantana come back after a Phoenix freeze?

Red & Gold Lantana may experience frost damage during rare hard freezes. Cut back any frost-damaged stems in late winter and the plant will typically regrow vigorously from the roots once warm weather returns. Covering with frost cloth during freeze warnings can protect top growth.

You May Also Like

Rose/Pink Lantana · Purple & White Lantana · Yellow Bells · Ruellia · Red Justica

How Many Red & Gold Lantana Do I Need?

Red & Gold Lantana is a fast spreading mounding shrub-groundcover, planted in drifts or as a low color hedge. At its mature 2 to 4 foot spread, set plants 3 feet apart so they knit into solid color without crowding.

Red & Gold Lantana Season-by-Season in Phoenix

• Spring (Feb to Apr): Cut back hard in late February, then watch fresh growth and the first bicolor clusters return as soil warms. A strong spring planting window.
• Summer (May to Sep): Peak performance. This is one of the few perennials that blooms harder the hotter it gets, thriving on reflected heat off walls and pavement. Monsoon rains push a flush of new growth and flowers.
• Fall (Oct to Nov): Prime planting season and continued color. Blooms carry well into the mild fall before slowing.
• Winter (Dec to Jan): Slows and may take frost top-dieback near 28°F. Cover on hard-freeze nights or leave it: it regrows vigorously from the roots in spring. Cut damaged stems back in late winter.

At a Glance

✔ Pollinator-Friendly   ✔ Hummingbird-Friendly   ✔ Heat-Loving (Reflected-Heat Tolerant)   ✔ Drought-Tolerant   ✔ Low-Maintenance   ✔ Deer & Rabbit-Resistant   ✔ Cold-Hardy to 20°F (recovers from roots)

Plant It With

• Rose/Pink Lantana: a softer companion color that blooms on the same heat-loving schedule.
• Purple & White Lantana: a trailing cool-tone foil for the fiery red and gold.
• Arizona Yellow Bells: a tall yellow backdrop that lifts the lantana color upward.
• Desert Ruellia: a tidy purple-flowered mounder that fills the gaps between lantana drifts.

Is Red & Gold Lantana Right for Your Yard?

Red & Gold Lantana thrives in full sun, reflected heat, and fast-draining native or caliche soil, making it ideal for hot wall bases, slopes, and pool-side color beds. It is not a fit for shady spots, which cause weak leggy growth and few flowers, and it should be kept away from areas where pets graze, since the foliage and green berries are toxic if eaten.