This legendary plant, of course in Southeast Asia, many know it because the colorful flowers that are very pleasant to see, are Lantana, which is very diverse in colors, from yellow, purple, red and white and pink.
Lantana has beautiful flowers with bright colors
Naturally there is also the appearance of the type of flower with a combination of purple shades of yellow or white with bright red and red mixed with pink, there is also in one petal with various colors. This plant develops with or grows very easily with the sun's heat and water grows so fast, as for treatment or fertilization can be done once every three weeks or once a month with Natural fertilizer.
The origin of the Lantana plant is from the American continent, after which it spread throughout the world to the archipelago. Our credible source does not know exactly when it arrived in Indonesia, especially in Aceh, there is no definite writing in the history of the spread of plants when this plant was in the archipelago.
In the Aceh region itself, the Lantana type is often referred to as the Bak Sirih-Rieh flower because the aroma of the leaves smells typical and unpleasant if smelled, but the leaves can be used as medicine, especially wound medicine or with sharp objects, bruising and being bitten by red ants. Lantana grows very well in the highlands to the lowlands with hot temperatures.
There are several types of Lantana plants, what we often see is Lantana, which grows in the form of bushes on the edge of a forest road or village, the next is Lantana that grows creeping on the fence, there is also Lantana can grow as a bush up to two or three meters more depending on the soil structure . In general, Lantana is a type of shrub with thorny stems, with small spines, although the spines are not too sharp but a little painful if exposed by hand.
For Lantana, the type of creeper grows long but cannot climb or creep, mostly used for cover crops or land, but it can also be used as a hanging plant, growing dangling decorated with flowers that are amazing and fascinating. From other segments there are also Lantana plants that are cultivated as a yard or garden ornamental plant, and more fun when other types of ornamental plants withered helplessly against attacks from white lice or leaf caterpillars, the Lantana plant remains upright without being touched by pest attacks, amazing not...?? and how can this plant survive...? it was because of the strong smell of the characteristic of this plant, even the fierce white lice gave up and could not cover the leaves of this plant. But that does not mean that Lantana is unable to attract the attention of butterflies, this beautiful animal will always perch which of course sucks honey on Lantana flowers, but the butterfly will not leave eggs that will become caterpillars, because caterpillars do not like the Lantana leaves that smell sting.
Always pretty flowering even in the dry season
But there are some things that must be considered from Lantana, Lantana can be a pest if its growth is not controlled properly. Besides being easy to grow, bush Lantana is also fast developing well, so that for the garden to not be controlled by Lantana, we must cut it often than this plant, in addition to controlling growth, pruning will also increase the appearance of flowers from new branches that will grow after the plants are pruned. One more thing that we should not forget is the plant Lantana, including low poisonous fruit, young fruit plants and dark green beriring will turn black after the fruit is old. Toxins found in fruit that are still young, even if not deadly, should not be eaten if you see the fruit of this plant. To increase growth, Lantana can experiment from seeds or from stem cuttings. Increasing from seeds tends to be more difficult and will take a long time compared to propagation by means of stem cuttings. Lantana, which is sold in ornamental plant nurseries, usually comes from propagation by means of stem cuttings.
Behind the leaves hiding beautiful colors
For plant lovers, of course Lantana is very well suited to be developed in the fence area of the house and in the garden with the appearance of bright flowers that are very beautiful to see the eyes or the other plants around the house, Lantana is very beautiful to observe.