Lantana (Red)

Description:

A weed of national significance in Australia. The Red Lantana is the most toxic to livestock. The tangled vines grow from a base and develop into a mass of impenetrable growth, the vine stems covered with tiny hard 'thorns' that catch on anything that tries to move through them. The flowers appear as one on the ends of stems but on closer inspection they are made up of smaller flowers in red, yellow and shades of pink. The plant does come in a variety of other colours such as pinks and purple. It grows into trees making it difficult for native wildlife to access trees from the base or to descend (koalas, possums, etc). Leaves are small, dark green and spiky. Flowers do exude a perfume. Introduced as a garden plant.

Habitat:

Found throughout much of Australia, especially where rainfall is good, frosts are few. Not in very arid regions. These ones in open woodland bush.