Friday, April 3, 2009

Pretty picture: Lantana camara 'Rose Glow Improved'

I continue to work on the plant-toxicity post, which is now looking like it's going to be a PATSP Special Event, something on the order of Houseplant Toxicity Week. (Hey, if the Discovery Channel can have Shark Week . . . ) Things keep getting added and subtracted and moved around, and at last check, the damn thing was up to 6400 words. Not unprecedented (the two parts of the Saintpaulia ionantha cvv. post, combined, were about that long), but unfortunately I think I was also only about 1/3 finished, too. So the plan at the moment is to find some way to break it up into a weeks' worth of small posts, though I'm unclear on how to do that, so we may get a Plan C at some point. I don't know.

What I do know is that Lantana camara is toxic. But it's also pretty. And butterflies like it. This was a popular variety last year; one of the nursery lot guys planted up a big tub with this, a dark purple Petunia, and a light blue-purple Scaevola, and the three of them together looked really nice.


On the down side, it's kill-you-dead poisonous. And it smells a little weird. Like citrus, but . . . wrong citrus. It's also, according to Toxicity of Houseplants, one of the ten most toxic weeds in the world, which is pretty impressive given the competition.

I like it anyway.


6 comments:

John de said...

I really do love Lantana. I also just wanted to send some support regarding the Iowa supreme court decision today. Here in NJ my husband and I are "allowed" have our civil union, but they refuse to call it a marriage. What an insult.
Here's to hoping for a positive result for you guys!

Anonymous said...

Don't you think the lantanas smell a little bit like creosote? And who or what would be even tempted to eat one anyhow - but kids do the weirdest things. I'm looking forward to the compilation of toxic plants; given how little (and how often inaccurate) information floats around it will be a real contribution.

RMR said...

If it's good enough for the butterflies, then it's good enough for me.
So do I need to start shopping for a wedding gift? Can one register at a nursery?

Paul Anater said...

Congratulations to you, your husband and the rest of the people of Iowa!

lynneguist said...

Can't believe you didn't mention the film, Lantana. It's excellent.

But really, I just stopped by (because I have no idea if I have a current email address for you) to say "Way to go, Iowa!"

Sarah Mary said...

Hooray, Iowa!!!!! Congrats!