Lantana 'Samantha'

We grow Lantana ‘Samantha’ for the leaf as well as for the flower

We’ve been growing Lantana ‘Samantha’ for the last decade or so. It’s lemon yellow, like other Lantanas on the market, but customers buy ‘Samantha’ for more than just the flower. A variegated leaf with lemon-lime edges captures their attention, drawing as much commentary as the blooms.

In the same way, professional buyers select ‘Samantha’ because of the full package: a compact habit, ruffled texture, variegated leaves, and the buttery flowers that dot the top of the plant. Importantly though, ‘Samantha’ is especially good at companionship—a trait usually lacking in Lantana.

Vibrant leaves create a large swath of orange in the landscape

‘Rustic Orange’ adds a bright punch to the landscape with the vibrant orange of the leaves—the best color appears in shade or partial sun. Edges are yellow and slightly serrated for additional texture and interest. We find that large swaths of orange are hard to come by and ‘Rustic Orange’ does the job—it makes an even greater impact when used with blues or purples.

Surprising creamy orange undersides add to the presentation

This is a fun Coleus to work with because it has a hidden secret quality: a creamy orange appears on the underside of the leaf. That underside flips up early in the season as new leaves emerge from the top and becomes part of the presentation. As the plant ages, the bright topside unfolds so the garden becomes more orange—until the wind comes along and flips the edges up again. In essence we’re using motion as a tool in the garden, as well as time.

Coleus ‘Rustic Orange’ is available in the 1801L and the 4.5-inch pot.

Shimmering silver foliage of ‘Silver Falls’ adds a touch of coolness to a design

‘Silver Falls’ lends a dramatic flair to window boxes and planters as it spills down with shimmering silver foliage. It brings a coolness to combos, and is a good choice for hot weather containers because it likes the heat while the curtain it throws over the side shades the planter or basket for the other plants.  We also find that the silver works well with many colors.

In the landscape, ‘Silver Falls’ makes a quick, clean groundcover that provides interesting texture. It’s not fussy about soil and spreads well without being aggressive or invasive. This variety grows only two to four inches high and trails up to 48 inches. Pair it with upright Petunias, Dragon Wing Begonia, Angelonia, some Coleus varieties, and Geraniums. Silvery highlights also play nicely off of darker foliage like Alternanthera, Strobilanthes (Pershian Shield), Pennisetum ‘Vertigo’, or the dark Ipomeas. It works in sun and partial sun, but not deep shade.

Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ is available in the 1801 flat and the 4.5-inch pot.