How to Grow Lantana 'Patriot Hot Country'

Lantana 'Patriot Hot Country'

Lantana camara 'Patriot Hot Country'

shrub

Lantana 'Patriot Hot Country' is a compact, heat-loving deciduous to semi-evergreen shrub with vibrant bicolor flowers that blend red, orange, and yellow hues. This cultivar is bred for superior heat tolerance and continuous blooming throughout warm seasons. It attracts butterflies and hummingbirds while requiring minimal maintenance once established.

When should you plant Lantana 'Patriot Hot Country' in your zone?

Get a personalized planting timeline — when to start seeds, transplant, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Free to start.

Get my Lantana 'Patriot Hot Country' timeline →

Example Lantana 'Patriot Hot Country' timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)

Plant Lantana 'Patriot Hot Country'
Around Apr 17

Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
Tend & protect
Late spring–summer

Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
Harvest Lantana 'Patriot Hot Country'
Around Jul 16

≈ 90 days after planting

Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Lantana 'Patriot Hot Country' dates for your own zip code.

Growing Conditions

☀️

Sun: Full sun, 6-8 hours daily minimum; performs best with 8+ hours

💧

Water: Drought tolerant once established; water regularly during first growing season and during dry spells. Mature plants need minimal supplemental watering except in prolonged drought. Avoid overwatering, which causes root rot and reduces flowering.

📏

Spacing: 24 inches

📅

Days to maturity: 90-120 days to first significant flowering

🌱

Planting depth: Same depth as root ball when transplanting; seeds need light for germination

Soil

Type: Well-draining sandy or loamy soil

pH: 5.5-7.5

Amendments:

Sand or perlite for drainage Organic compost (light application) Avoid heavy clay amendments

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Thrives in zones 8-11; winter hardy to zone 8a with protection

8a 8b 9a 9b 10a 10b 11a 11b

Get my Lantana 'Patriot Hot Country' timeline →

Growth Stages

Establishment

4-6 weeks

Young transplants with small leaves and thin stems; minimal branching

Water regularly to establish deep roots; provide afternoon shade in extreme heat zones (10-11); stake if needed in windy locations

Vegetative Growth

6-10 weeks

Rapid stem and leaf development; plant fills out with bushy growth habit, reaching mature width and height

Pinch back branch tips in early season to encourage bushier form; fertilize monthly with balanced fertilizer; maintain consistent moisture during this phase

Flowering Initiation

2-3 weeks

First clusters of bicolor flowers appear in leaf axils; flowers are tightly clustered in small rounded heads

Continue regular watering; reduce nitrogen-heavy fertilizer to promote flowers; ensure 6+ hours full sun daily

Continuous Bloom

3-4 months (or until first frost)

Abundant clusters of red-orange-yellow flowers throughout the canopy; flowers continuously bloom and fade, replaced by new ones

Deadheading (removal of spent flower clusters) encourages additional blooming; water during drought; fertilize every 4-6 weeks with balanced or flowering formula

Dormancy/Winter

3-4 months

In zones 8-9, plant drops leaves and enters dormancy; may die back partially or fully depending on winter severity

Reduce watering significantly; no fertilizing needed; in zone 8, mulch base with 3-4 inches to protect roots; prune dead wood in spring once new growth appears

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Salvia Coreopsis Black-eyed Susan Esperanza Duranta Blanket Flower Desert Marigold Mexican Sunflower

Avoid planting near:

Plants requiring frequent watering and rich soil Shade-loving shade plants Shallow-rooted plants in competition for nutrients

Common Pests

Spray with water to dislodge; use neem oil or insecticidal soap if severe; improve air circulation
Prune infected foliage; spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil; encourage natural predators like ladybugs
Use yellow sticky traps; spray neem oil or horticultural oil; avoid excess nitrogen fertilizer
Spray with rubbing alcohol on cotton swabs for small infestations; use neem oil for larger populations; prune heavily infested branches
Scrape off manually; apply horticultural oil spray in dormant season; prune severely affected branches

Uses

🦋

Butterfly & Hummingbird Magnet

Wildlife

The clustered flowers of 'Patriot Hot Country' are highly attractive to Monarch butterflies, Swallowtails, Sulphurs, and hummingbirds. The nectar-rich flowers provide essential food sources during migration and breeding seasons. [source]

🍳

Traditional Herbal Beverage

Culinary

In some tropical and subtropical regions, lantana leaves are dried and brewed as an herbal tea believed to aid digestion and reduce fever. (Note: Use only species and varieties traditionally consumed; ensure proper identification.) [source]

🏠

Low-Maintenance Landscape Color

Household

'Patriot Hot Country' provides reliable, long-lasting color in hot, dry climates with minimal fertilizer or water once established. Ideal for xeriscaping, foundation plantings, borders, and container gardening in sunny locations. [source]

🎨

Cut Flower Arrangements

Craft

The vibrant flower clusters can be cut and used fresh or dried in floral arrangements, providing weeks of colorful display in water or as dried arrangements. [source]

🦋

Native Habitat Support

Wildlife

Lantana provides nesting cover and food resources for songbirds, including mockingbirds, cardinals, and jays. The berry-like drupes that follow flowers offer supplemental food sources. [source]

Harvest Tips

Lantana is not harvested for food; rather, deadhead spent flower clusters by pinching or cutting them off to encourage continuous blooming. Cut back the entire plant to 12-18 inches in late winter (before new growth) in zones 8-9 to rejuvenate and remove winter damage.

Fun Facts

🌱 Lantana 'Patriot Hot Country' is part of an improved lantana breeding program focused on heat stress tolerance and earlier, heavier flowering—making it superior to older lantana varieties for hot climates.
🌱 The flower heads are actually clusters of dozens of tiny individual flowers called florets; the color change from bright red-orange to yellow as flowers age helps guide pollinators to freshly opened nectar-rich blooms.
🌱 Lantana is native to tropical Americas and Africa; the genus name possibly derives from the Latin 'lentus' (flexible) due to the pliable stems, though the exact etymology is debated among botanists.

Gardening Terms

New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:

Cultivar Deadhead Full Sun Mulch pH Pinch Back Transplant

Shop Lantana 'Patriot Hot Country' plants and related plants at Plant Addicts →

Join 30,000 gardeners planning their gardens with LizPlants.

Get your personalized Lantana 'Patriot Hot Country' planting timeline

Tell us your zip code and we'll calculate exactly when to start Lantana 'Patriot Hot Country' seeds, transplant seedlings, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Includes calendar reminders and printable task lists. Free to start.

Get my Lantana 'Patriot Hot Country' timeline →