Lantana

Lantana (Lantana camara): This is an common invasive species of plant that spreads and grows without human assistance, mainly in gardens and in river beds in towns. It is a small shrub with sharp prickles on the stems that grow over and smother other plants. They have leathery leaves with small, yellow, pink and red, or yellow flowers which bloom in thick clusters. Small berries also grow in fruit clusters and are black when mature.

Birds eat the fruits but they are poisonous to mammals. This plant is not much of a threat in arid regions but needs controlling in wetter regions. It has become a problem in the Waterberg, Rundu and Otavi areas. The Patricia Blue and Twin-spot Blue butterflies are attracted to the leaves and flowers of Lantana.