SUNDAY BEST #273 - BUTTERFLY

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Lantana is a genus of about 150 species of perennial flowering plants in the verbena family, Verbenaceae. They are native to tropical regions of the Americas and Africa but exist as an introduced species in numerous areas, especially in the Australian-Pacific region.

The genus includes both herbaceous plants and shrubs growing to 0.5–2 m (1.6–6.6 ft) tall. Their common names are shrub verbenas or lantanas. The generic name originated in Late Latin, where it refers to the unrelated Viburnum lantana. This is a Lantana camara in our garden, which this butterfly is finding particularly tempting. The butterfly is the Australian painted lady butterfly, Vanessa kershawi.

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LANTANA

Lantana is a genus of about 150 species of perennial flowering plants in the verbena family, Verbenaceae. They are native to tropical regions of the Americas and Africa but exist as an introduced species in numerous areas, especially in the Australian-Pacific region. The genus includes both herbaceous plants and shrubs growing to 0.5–2 m tall. Their common names are shrub verbenas or lantanas.

Some species are invasive, and are considered to be noxious weeds, such as in South Asia, Southern Africa and Australia. In the United States, lantanas are naturalised in the southeast, especially coastal regions of the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, and the Gulf Coast. The generic name originated in Late Latin, where it refers to the unrelated Viburnum lantana.  Lantana's aromatic flower clusters (called umbels) are a mix of red, orange, yellow, or blue and white florets. Other colours exist as new varieties are being selected. The flowers typically change colour as they mature, resulting in inflorescences that are two- or three-coloured. "Wild lantanas" are plants of the unrelated genus Abronia, usually called "sand-verbenas".

Lantana camara blanca, shown here is a small perennial shrub which can grow to around 2m in height and forms dense thickets in a variety of environments. It has small tubular shaped flowers, each of which has four petals and are arranged in clusters at the end of stems. Flowers are yellow and white and after pollination occurs the colour of the flowers change (typically from yellow to white); this is believed to be a signal to pollinators that the pre-change colour contains a reward as well as being sexually viable, thus increasing pollination efficiency.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

VERBENA

Verbena (vervain) is a genus in the family Verbenaceae. It contains about 250 species of annual and perennial herbaceous or semi-woody flowering plants. The majority of the species are native to the Americas and Europe.

Some species, hybrids and cultivars of verbena are used as ornamental plants. They are drought-resistant, tolerating full to partial sun, and enjoy well-drained, average soils. Plants are usually grown from seed. Some species and hybrids are not hardy and are treated as half-hardy annuals in bedding schemes.

They are valued in butterfly gardening in suitable climates, attracting Lepidoptera such as the Hummingbird hawk-moth, Chocolate albatross, or the Pipevine swallowtail, and also hummingbirds, especially V. officinalis, which is also grown as a honey plant. The hybrid cultivars 'Silver Anne' and 'Sissinghurst' have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

VERBENA DONALENA TWINKLE

Verbena (vervain), is a genus in the family Verbenaceae. It contains about 250 species of annual and perennial herbaceous or semi-woody flowering plants. The majority of the species are native to the Americas and Europe.

Hybrid verbena in the Donalena™ Twinkle series shown here, are vigorous, warm season, tender perennials that are grown as annual bedding plants in colder regions. They are heat-tolerant and bear large mottled flowers in many-flowered clusters. These low, mounding and trailing, ever-blooming plants have broad, quilted dark green leaves with toothed edges

These butterfly favourites produce many rounded clusters of unusual tubular five-lobed flowers with wide-flaring tips that are white mottled and streaked in shades of red, pink and purple. Donalena™ Twinkle verbena is will continue blooming if regularly deadheaded and cut back in late summer. They bloom all year in climates with mild winters and all summer in temperate locations.

Like many other verbenas, these tolerate drought, heat and humidity. They prefer full sun and moderately fertile, amply drained soil. Too much shade results in leggy sparsely flowered plants. Powdery mildew is a problem for most Verbena, good airflow and care will help plants stay healthy. Plant Donalena™ Twinkle verbena in containers, hanging baskets, along walkways, and borders.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.