Groundcover
New Gold Lantana
Lantana × hybrida 'New Gold' · Verbenaceae
Also called: New Gold Trailing Lantana, Gold Lantana
New Gold Lantana (Lantana × hybrida 'New Gold') is a low-water groundcover well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It grows to 12-24 in H x 3-6 ft W, with a moderate to fast growth rate.
New Gold Lantana at a glance
- Water use
- Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun and reflected heat for maximum, continuous flowering. Tolerant of intense Tucson summer sun; blooms poorly in shade.
- Mature size
- 12-24 in H x 3-6 ft W
- Growth rate
- Moderate to Fast
- Bloom
- Bright golden-yellow., Spring through fall, often nearly year-round in mild Tucson winters; among the longest-blooming groundcovers.
- Cold hardiness
- Frost-tender; foliage damaged below ~28-32°F and tops killed by hard freeze, roots typically hardy into the low 20s°F (USDA zones 9-11). Recovers from roots in spring.
- Soil
- Adaptable to most well-drained soils including poor, rocky, alkaline native desert soils. Needs adequate drainage.
- Native range
- Garden hybrid (derived from New World Lantana species); not native to the Sonoran Desert.
- Best used as
- Groundcover, Mass color plantings, Borders and parking medians, Spilling over walls and containers, Slope stabilization
- Wildlife
- Outstanding butterfly and bee magnet; abundant nectar over a very long season. Notably nearly sterile — sets few or no berries.
- Toxicity
- Like other lantanas, foliage is considered toxic if ingested by people, pets, and livestock; because 'New Gold' is largely sterile it produces few to no berries, reducing the berry-poisoning risk. Sap may irritate sensitive skin.
How to grow New Gold Lantana in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Drought-tolerant established but performs best with regular deep summer irrigation (weekly to every 10-14 days). Cut back water in winter.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Light feeder; a spring application of balanced or low-nitrogen fertilizer supports prolific bloom. Avoid heavy nitrogen, which favors leaves over flowers.
Pruning & care
Cut back hard in late winter/early spring to remove frost damage and renew the plant; periodic light shearing maintains shape and encourages continuous flowering.
Notes
Extremely popular sterile hybrid grown for masses of bright gold flowers over an exceptionally long season and very low fruit set. A dependable, heat-loving Tucson groundcover that flowers continuously through summer when many plants stall. Lower and more uniform than shrubby lantanas; excellent for large color sweeps.
Sources: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; AMWUA 'Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert'; Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum; Tucson Botanical Gardens