i have a lantana bush that has become too big to pot up and put in the garage this year. does anyone know how i could protect it from freeze while leaving it in the ground?

Common lantana is hardy only to Zone 8, so it won’t be a perennial plant here, but can be used quite effectively as an annual plant. It is a woody shrub with opposite leaves that will range from 2-6 inches long. The leaves tend to be quite smelly if bruised. The leaves are also quite rough feeling to the touch—one of the easiest tests to use for identification. (Although if you have sensitive skin, do be careful, the plant has been known to cause irritation.)

Flowers are can be white, purple, salmon pink or in the red to yellow range, or combinations thereof. The individual flowers are about 1/3 inch wide growing in clusters that are 1-2 inches across. The flowers give rise to ½ blue-black fruit.

You will find Lantanas at your local garden center in late spring for planting during warm weather. Lantanas can be used as bedding plants, and large specimen plants are grown to standards to make colorful displays in pots and containers.

Lantanas need a rich, loose soil and lots of fertilizer. Use a slow release fertilizer (like Osmocote) in beds and containers. Container plants in particular will benefit from weekly doses of water-soluble fertilizers.

Lantanas can be cut back and stored in a frost free area overwinter. They will go dormant if water is withheld (only water enough to keep the root system form totally dessicating-generally once every three weeks or so-depends on the location.) Or they can be treated as a houselplant ovewinter.

Lantanas can be propagated by seed planted in early spring outdoors or by softwood cuttings. Lantanas are susceptible from damage from spider mites so don’t let them get drought stressed. They are also subject to damage from whiteflies-especially if greenhouse grown. Rust diseases, viruses stem rot, leaf spot, and root knot nematodes are also problematic.