The cypriot plant - Lantana speciosa

The Lantana speciosa I bought at Hampton Court flower show

One of my purchases at Hampton Court was most definitely an impulse buy.  A pretty flower consisting of two colours; pink and yellow within the one flower head. I was immediately taken with it.

Lantana Speciosa randomly growing all over Cyprus.  This is my favourite colour, its so summery and fun

I took a picture on one stand and then when I saw it later for sale on another, bought it.  I had never seen or heard of this plant before.  I can now tell you anything you want to know about Lantana speciosa.  I know which colours it comes in, its growing habitat, how big it gets and its spread.  This plant grows absolutely everywhere in Cyprus.  I know this because I visited the island for a lovely ten day holiday last month, and I saw it a lot.  Its funny how that happens, once your aware of something you notice it everywhere.

I still like it as a plant, but had I known its status just above a cypriot weed I may not have bought it.  It grows next to the coastal path, it is involved in hedges in what was my hotel, it bordered the holes on the miniature golf course.  If its green, its this plant.

It comes in a variety of colours, the prettiest being the pink and yellow one I have and a really beautiful menagerie of colours that resembles fruit punch.  The flowers consist of a blue toned pink, coral, orange and yellow.  It also comes in firey red and orange, and solid white and yellow, and white and pink.  I don't know how it achieves such a split of colour, but it is one of the nicest bicolour flowers I have seen.  They are just such feminine combinations.

Clearly this plant likes it hot, and rather dry, neither of which the UK regularly is.  It will be interesting to see how it gets on back in my garden.