I have not done it, but if you Google "how to start lantana from seed", numerous articles pop up. According to the one I read, it takes 14 to 16 weeks to germinate and must be kept at 70 to 75 degrees. If you can provide artificial light inside, it doesn't sound too difficult.

14 to 16 weeks to germinate and must be kept at 70 to 75 degrees.

===>>> IN Z4 IOWA IN WINTER... good luck with that.. lol ...

donna.. you gotta remember not all of us are in z8 ..

also.. its a tropical plant.. if you had a heat mat.. and did get them to germinate after 4 MONTHS!! ... i would bet your z4 winter house will not have enough humidity for the young babes ...

give it a go ... just dont spend $400 dollars on heat mats.. humidity domes.. and electricity.. to save $5 on already started plants ....

unless of course.. its just the experiment thing .. and i do approve of that..

ken

ps: so lets count backwards.. to go outdoors in early june .. you would start them 6 months prior.. to get them to transplant size.. which means .. happy new year ... short of a climate controlled greenhouse.. good luck with that ...

and ken...you gotta remember that many gardeners in zones 3 and 4 are set up to handle that scenario quite easily. And if someone doesn't already have a heat mat, there are appliances in the house that will supply the heat. By the time the germination will have occurred, you're into late March, or even April...by that time, light and humidity aren't such a problem.

The other (and much easier) option is to root from cuttings. Many of the hybrid lantanas either do not set viable seed, or if they do, it isn't true from seed. This is exactly why lantana isn't grown from seed in commercial greenhouses. Typically, if you do not see a type of seed listed in a seed catalog, there is a reason.....

of course mytime ...

i discuss variables.. not whether a given person is set up ...

but my key was.. i used to try all this stuff.. and then one day realized.. what i thought was an expensive plant.. really ended up being rather cheap.. ONCE I GOT THE ELECTRIC BILL.. lol ...

later i also wondered about whether they come true from seed.. and all that genetics stuff.. if you want a specific plant.. you will have to buy the seed for such.. as gathered seed.. may or may not end up being what you want ...

good luck

ken

Thanks for all the replys; I've been away from the computer for a time.
I have some very pretty lantanas that I kept under a timed florescent light last winter. One plant is pink with yellow, I think it is "Patriot Pillar Deen Day Smith". Got it from HyVee last year. It ia still in a pot with a pink gerbera daisy. I was wondering if another winter under lights would be the best idea. I'm going to try it, but would like to start some from seed, even if they don't breed true. The two dark yellow ones I planted directly into the garden, and they are huge. Possible frost tomorrow night. . . .

I got lantana seeds this past winter from a trade and I too thought I would need to start the seed in December based on the thinking that it would take 16 weeks for germination. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) they germinated in 2 weeks! It was not in my plans to have them growing in December under lights! I was worried they would be stunted because they wouldn't be getting enough strong sunlight, and they would be too big come summer. They didn't grow like gangbusters indoors, and had fits and starts throughout their stay indoors. I did put them on a south facing windowsill on sunny days throughout, and never bothered with the hardening off process; they were fine outside.

Bottom line, try anyways! If they are slow to germinate, they'll probably catch up once they go outside. My germination time was short BUT the germination rate was very low. Or, maybe the rest of the batch need the full 16 weeks, but I had 4 plants and that was enough for me. I didn't know what their type was, but they were the pink/yellow ones too.

Ethel, Patriot Pillar is a lantana series bred especially to be sterile, or nearly so. This means that the seeds will be duds.....not capable of producing a new plant. Deen Day Smith is just one of that line...I don't know how many others there might be.

I don't know if this hybrid is still under patent protection or not. Do you still have the tag that came in the container? If it is still under protection, you really shouldn't take cuttings. Luckily, there are so many lantana varieties that can be grown very easily from seed.

Just a small correction on Lantana and humidity. Lantana is a ubiquitous perennial in the Central Valley of California where the humidity is usually around 10% - so no humidity is not necessary.

One other option is to dig up your lantana before frost and turn it into a houseplant for the winter. Just make sure it gets lots of sun.

Deen Day Smith is such a gift to the gardening world. Google her for more information on this gifted and generous woman.