Meet Lantana camara. If you are a veteran ornamental gardener, this is probably not a new plant to you. Its hardiness, ability to adapt to soil, and butterfly attraction, make it a preferred shrub for many gardens. I am still a newbie when it comes to plants that are native to this new region where I live. I was setting up an above ground herb box near a hedgerow on my property because it's one of the only places with some shade from this brutal summer sun. Anyhow, I look over and see these beautiful dainty little flowers that I had not previously noticed, and like I do, I rubbed one of her leaves in between my fingers and promptly smelled them, weird, I know. There was a strong spicy smell reminiscent of black currant, and I knew that I had found something special. She was just calling to me, so I whipped out my new favorite app, the "Picture This" plant identifier, and found out who she was. Luckily for me, she has been used not only to make your garden beautiful and attract bees and butterflies, but for a multitude of other things as well!
After a bit of research, it became apparent that this plant, usually planted for its ornamental flowering properties, is somewhat of an invasive species, often out competing neighboring plants. For this reason, I planted my cuttings in pots. Lantana camara, also known as Common Lantana, is a low, erect, subscandent vigorous shrub with triangular stems. Don't go feeling the stems like you might if you suspect mint, though, because they are covered with tiny recurved thorns. The leaves are oblong, edges are serrated, and they are covered in rough hairs. Lantana flowers August-November and as shown above, the little flowers are clustered and range from white to purple, usually with a yellow throat. (I just found out that it is called a flower's throat, but for some reason it makes sense). The plant also produces fruit (seeds) that are black when fully ripe, and green when immature, but these immature green berries are toxic, so keep them away from pets or curious little fingers. The edibility of the fully ripe berries is contested, but an article posted by AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) revealed there is no evidence suggesting the ingestion of Lantana berries produces significant toxicity in children. Take it as you will. Do your research, of course.
Turns out, Lantana is actually part of the Verbena family, Verbenaceae. In Mexico, folk medicine practitioners use the fully ripe berries to treat gastrointestinal disorders. In other parts of the Caribbean, a mild tea is made from the leaves and used to treat common cold symptoms. In the Philippines, fresh roots are steeped in water and used as a gargle for toothaches, while a decoction of the leaves and fruit is used to clean wounds. It is also known to repel mosquitoes, and much research is being done regarding its utility against the vectors of malaria!
Upon analysis of its constituents, there were found to be alkaloids, terpenoids, phenolics, iridoid glycosides, flavonoids, phenylethanoid glycosides, and the most biologically active, lantadenes. The lantadenes are believed to be responsible for most of the biological action including its antimicrobial, antibacterial, antimutagenic, insecticidal, antimalarial, and antipyretic properties.
L. camara leaf extract has even been demonstrated to be an effective broad spectrum antibiotic, effectively inhibiting growth against B. cereus (Fried Rice Syndrome), S. typhi (Salmonella serotype typhi responsible for typhoid fever), E. coli, and S. aureus. This validates and supports the folk remedy use of Lantana for acute gastrointestinal conditions, as well as supports the use as a topical antiseptic, since S. aureus is a common skin infection culprit. E. coli, B. cereus, and S. typhi are all foodborne illnesses that can cause extreme nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and in the cases of the elderly and small children, dire dehydration which if left untreated could cause death. The over prescription, overuse, and misuse of traditional western medicine antibiotics is causing an epidemic of resistance, in which there will be no available treatments for bacterial infections in the very real future if we do not look for suitable alternatives. Lantana camara if used preventatively or in the cases of early stage intervention, could reduce the quantity of antibiotics prescribed.
The leaves of Lantana camara, can be pounded (think mortar and pestle) into a poultice and applied to fresh cuts, scrapes, and minor burns. The antiseptic and bacteriostatic properties help to ward off infection and help wounds heal. Since one of the signs of infection is pain (red, hot, swollen, & painful are the cardinal signs of infection), using an effective antiseptic on wounds actually helps to decrease the pain. It can also be used to soothe insect bites and stings. The roots contain a rich source of oleanolic acid which is anti-inflammatory, antipyretic (fever lowering), hepatoprotective (good for the liver), and anti-oxidant. The leaves can be made into a tea and taken internally to combat foodborne illness. Stems and leaves can even be used (carefully) as a toothbrush or for polishing or sanding wood, and because the woody stems are durable, some parts of the world even use Lantana to make wicker-like furniture.
Another great property of this plant, is its ability to ward off mosquitoes! Because mosquitoes are a common vector for serious illness in much of the developing world (Malaria, Dengue, West Nike, and Zika to name a few), and common chemical ingredients have been proven to be harmful long term (ahem, DEET), there is an intense need to look elsewhere for effective insect repellent. The studies are in and Lantana camara is one of the plants that can be used effectively. There are 3 main ways in which we can utilize this plant ally to repel mosquitoes.
1. Hanging plants to dry inside of the home. This one is more relevant to people in the developing world at risk (Africa), but it is also a good way for you to dry out your herbs when harvesting.
2. Burn leaves of the plant. The smoke will ensure the mosquitoes are far away.
3. Crush up the leaves and rub the volatile essential oils on uncovered parts of your body to prevent mosquito bites. Use caution here if you have sensitive skin and always perform a patch test before applying anything to large areas of your skin.
4. (Yeah I know I said 3, so this one is a bonus) If you live in a colder region you have the option of harvesting the leaves in fall, and making a balm/salve/liniment so that you can externally apply your repellent all year. You can even add in some Lemongrass, Citronella, Eucalyptus, or Catnip to create a synergistic effect.
To recap -
Some of the ways we can utilize this potent medicinal plant are:
- Make a salve with the leaves to keep on hand for first-aid (cuts, scrapes, minor burns, soothe insect bites or stings).
- If fresh plant material is available, you can make a poultice of the leaves to apply for first-aid.
- If suffering from asthma, slow boil the leaves with water, let cool a bit, then inhale the steam.
- Tincture the leaves to use in the case of food poisoning (also remember to take in plenty of water as dehydration is the most common complication).
- Make a balm or spray with other insecticidal herbs like citronella and lemongrass as a chemical free alternative to bug repellent.
- Burn the plant to allow the smoke to repel the mosquitoes if you prefer.
- Plant it near your sitting areas to keep mosquitoes from your porch and attract bees and butterflies (in pots, unless you want it to take over your garden).
- Make an infusion of leaves and stems to use as a gargle or mouth rinse to prevent gingivitis.
Let me know in the comments if you have ever used this plant or if it is growing in your area!
References
Badakhshan MP, Sasidharan S, Rameshwar NJ, Ramanathan S. A Comparative Study: Antimicrobial Activity of Methanol Extracts of Lantana camara Various Parts. Phcog Res [serial online] 2009 [cited 2019 Sep 8];1:348-51.
Carstairs, S., Luk, J., Tomaszewski, C., Cantrell, L., (2010) American Academy of Pediatrics. Ingestion of Lantana camara Is Not Associated With Significant Effects In Children.
Hernandez, T., Canales, M., Avila, J. G., Duran, A., Caballero, J., Romo de Vivar, A., Lira, R. (2003) Ethnobotany and antibacterial activity of some plants used in traditional medicine of Zapotitlán de las Salinas, Puebla (México). Journal of Ethnopharmacology.
MEDICINAL POTENTIAL OF LANTANA CAMARA: VERBENACEAE, Verma, 2018
Muhaisen, H. M., Ab-Mous, M., Ddeeb, F. A., Rtemi, A., Taba, O. M., Parveen, M. (2016) Antimicrobial agents from selected medicinal plants in Libya. Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine.
Negi, G.C.S., Sharma, S., Vishvakarma, S.C. et al. Bot. Rev. (2019) 85: 109. Ecology and Use of Lantana camara in India
Roulston, D. (2017) Lantana Camara Benefits, Uses, Side Effects
Tadesse, E., Engidawork, E., Nedi, T., Mengistu, G. (2017) Evaluation of the anti-diarrheal activity of the aqueous stem extract of Lantana camara Linn (Verbenaceae) in mice. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Tull, Delena "Edible and Useful Plants of Texas and the Southwest: A Practical Guide" University of Texas Press (1999)
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