The lavender lantana (lantana montevidensis) is a trailing lavender and wants to sprawl or crawl through other plants. It can be kept bushy through cutting back, as you mention, and it will normall bloom profusely either way. But it has periods of "rest" between bloom flushes. If yours is getting plenty of sun, I think it will bloom for you, pruned or not. Mine does. Of course, if you are constantly cutting it back, you might cut off the new buds. But shaping it up a couple of times a year shouldn't hurt anything.

This is a terrific little lantana that is not invasive, and butterflies love it. Good luck with yours!

Marcia

I cut mine back severely about a month ago . It is just now beginning to flower . It first had to grow back all it's branches and leaves and once settled it flowered . It flowers more when it is slightly cooler and we get some rain . Slightly cooler means temps below 95 - more like in the mid 80's to low 90's are it's comfort zone . This may simply be because I keep my plant in a large planter . In the ground , the temps may not be as influential .

It becomes quite sprawling if left alone . This plant is advertised as a trailing lantana and it will trail all the way to Miami if not pruned !

Maybe your plants just need to be in the ground longer to recover from the shock of planting and to establish a good root system . When they are happy , they will bloom for you .