Hello Pam,
I live right near the border of Missouri in zone 7 Northwest Arkansas. Lantana grows wonderfully here for me, unfortunately it has never survived a winter for me. I treat it as an annual and buy new plants every season because they are just too pretty to not have. I would think they would not survive in Missouri as well since I am south of there.
Nancy

Yep, I have never seen it come back if left out in the open. My grandmother always had it and I know she never bought a plant in her life, but I have no idea how she held it over. I do remember a lady in zone 7 Oklahoma who had it planted near some cement steps and it would come back out from under those steps every year. If it can do that, I wonder if it could be cut back and stored over winter in a frost free place. I may have to test that idea out this winter.

I have mine on the south side of the house usually and it comes back. Is now on the protected north so will see if it makes it. Judy

We have had a lantana come back for the past several years. It is growing near a cement walk. Maybe that protects it. It is the orange/red one. We've had others that did not survive. I don't think any one plant attracts butterfies any more than another. The plant everything seems to prefer most is the 'wild' red salvia that self sows and returns every year. As long as a plant produces nectar or seed it will attract the butterflies, birds, and bees. EP

Zinnias do great as butterfly magnets

Zinnias are also magnets for goldfinches. The goldfinches pick off the petals to get to the seed heads but the butterflies still come to the center florets to feed. The goldfiches also feed on the ripening seed of the red salvia. EP

I think you might winter it if you would plant it in full sun next to concrete or paved areas. I have wintered over salvia farinacea for two winters that are planted next to our paved (black top type) drive.

Another surprise "survival" was my salvia Black and Blue (z8). I noticed a strange looking bud among the farinaceas yesterday, and then it hit me! It was the Black and Blue salvia from last year. I don't know why it was so delayed unless the shade from the salvias caused it.

Of course, we have several mild winters in a row.

I think I will try the lantanas next year.

gld

EP - When does your perennial lantana start blooming? That's tempting. I may try some too. I wonder if a big rock would work as well as a sidewalk as insulation. I have some large flatish limestone rocks around.
I bought two Black and Blues on clearance this year and going to try wintering one in my garage and the other outside. The species salvia guaranitica comes back for me every year but I've read that Black and Blue isn't as hardy. Is yours by your house or sidewalk or just out in the open gld? I planted mine late so I doubt if it has a very good chance of coming back.
Hoping my red salvia comes back too. I think it's similar to EP's. I have some seedlings from it that are only about an inch tall and I'm still not sure how to overwinter those.
Pam - If you build your own house, maybe you can include an attached greenhouse/sunroom to keep your tender plants.

Hi Christie. Having a type of sunroom put on the house is something we have considered. There are so many amenities in my house now that I want to take them with me for the next house....our realtorÂs response was " right now you have a Florida home".....I took that to say as "get real, youÂre going to be in Missouri"....so bottom line I guess I might have to think of things a little differently...so instead of a "Florida room" I'll call it a "sunroom". Works for me!

I'll just have to try the lantana (probably over and over again, year after year) to see if I can get it to come back for me.

Thanks for all the stories fellow Garden Webbers. I sure enjoy reading your inputs.

Pam

I am not sure when the lantana begins blooming. Whenever the days get warm. This year the lemon verbena and Mexican bush sage came back too. I had mulched and put large rocks around them during the winter. I haven't done anything to the lantana except for a little watering and trimming. It dies back all the way in winter but returns in summer. Pam, we moved here from Arizona almost 20 years ago. It has been interesting to see what will grow. I still miss the pineapple guava, grapefruit, fig, and pomegranites we had there but since coming here have seen fig and pomegranite in a public garden. We never know how low the temps will drop in winter and the past few have not been as cold as previous ones. EP

Have you grown pentas for butterflies Pam? I bought some last year and tried to grow some from seed this year with no luck. I think they would be a annual even in your zone.
I was checking out a garden today that had pentas and the 'Butterfly Red' looked pretty popular. I'm going to try to find that one next year along with lantana which I've never tried before.
Right now in my yard, my butterfly bush 'Pink Delight' has the most butterflies and sedum will soon. It's just starting to open up. Both of those come back every year.
I was just looking at Katrina's projected path. Are you expecting it your way? I thought that it was supposed to be a small one but just read that it might be catagory 4 by the time it hits land again. No wonder you're heading for the Ozarks.