Vibrant verbenas offer variety for Southern gardens.
makes a stunning statement anywhere in the garden.
The low, spreadingground coversshine in rock gardens, on slopes, in borders, and in hanging baskets.
Moss Verbena creates a wispy mound of feathery foliage and delicate blooms.Credit:Diana Kirby
Their dense mat of dark green foliage is punctuated by brilliant clusters of small, five-petaled flowers.
bonariensis, or tall verbena, bring dramatic height to beds.
They grow as tall as 3 to 6 feet and 1 to 3 feet wide.
Credit:Getty Images
This light and airy giant provides a soft, flowing backdrop for a layered bed.
Finally, the feathery foliage of moss verbena reaches 1 foot tall and 3 feet or even wider.
Plant them infull sunusing well-drained soil with a covering of mulch to retain moisture.
Credit:Eve Livesey / Getty Images
Water regularly until established.
Planting verbena in low light can lead to powdery mildew and other problems.
Soil
Verbena adapts to most soils as long as they are well-draining.
Many varieties will do fine in poor, somewhat sandy soils.
Those planted in very sandy soil will benefit from the addition of compost or fertilizer.
Clay soils should be amended to improve drainage.
The garden verbena sold as annuals can also be grown in containers in a well-draining potting mix.
Otherwise, allow the soil to dry out between waterings.
Too much water may cause root rot or powdery mildew.
Water deeply once a week when the plants don’t receive adequate rainfall.
Avoid getting the foliage wet when you water.
Temperature And Humidity
Most verbenas flourish in the heat and humidity of summer.
In fact, many of the hybrid varieties have been specifically bred for heat-, drought-, and disease-tolerance.
Rose verbena (V. canadensis) is a native perennial used as a parent for many hybrid garden verbenas.
It is hardy in USDA Zones 6-10.
These self-seed and have naturalized in parts of the South.
Addingcompost to your soilwhen planting will provide long-term nutrients to plants in garden beds.
Alternatively, you might apply a slow-release, granular fertilizer formulated for flowers in late spring.
Container-grown plants benefit from more frequent fertilizing.
Prune perennial verbena by removing dead or fading flowers to prevent spreading by seed.
Don’t prune severely in fall, as this can lessen verbena’s chances of surviving a cold winter.
Wait until spring when new growth starts to emerge.
Propagating Verbena
Most plants are readily available in different sizes at nurseries.
you’ve got the option to also use semi-ripe cuttings from perennial verbena in late summer.
These are firmer at the base but still soft and green on the tips.
Hybrid varieties don’t grow into plants that resemble their parents.
Some hybrids are non-seeding.
For best results, purchase commercial seeds.
Verbena can also be planted inhanging basketsto trail over the sides.
When planting a mixed container, pair them with other flowers and foliage with similar low-water needs.
Select a container with a drainage hole and use a well-draining potting mix.
Place in a sunny spot and water after the top inch of soil dries out.
Verbena grown as an annual usually dies out after one growing season and doesn’t need to be repotted.
They can be tossed after the season.
Perennial verbena only lives about two or three years.
To keep it beyond the growing season, overwinter the potted plant indoors.
Overwintering
Perennial plants will go dormant in fall and die back until spring.
Don’t prune plants severely in fall, which can reduce their chances of surviving winter.
Wait until new growth appears in spring.
Add alayer of mulcharound the base of plants if you have cold winters.
Perennial verbena does not always survive wet, harsh winters.
Some gardeners collect seeds or stem cuttings in fall as insurance so they’ll have verbena the following year.
If you experience heavy frosts, you’ll most likely need to replace bedding verbenas the next spring.
Plant them at the same depth they were growing in the ground.
Then move the containers indoors for the winter.
The plants will need at least six hours of direct sunlight or a grow light to thrive.
Return the container outdoors once temperatures stay above 50oF.
Like any plant, verbenas can be subject to pests, though they dont typically have specific known issues.
Verbena plants are deer-resistant.
How To Get Verbena To Bloom
Verbena blooms easily and for weeks at a time.
Its fragrant blooms have a pleasant, citrusy, herbal scent.
Long dry spells can interrupt blooming, so see to it the plants receive adequate moisture.
Fertilize plants if you have not already and water well.
Blooms usually appear in two or three weeks.
Verbena is moderately drought tolerant but should receive some moisture weekly to remain healthy.
Sometimes they need more, especially when planted in full sun in a very hot garden.
Keep an eye out for wilting foliage and water any time you spot it.
Both of these native plants grow in well-draining soils in full sun.
This really depends on your garden soil.
Verbena does well in slightly acidic or neutral, well-draining soil.
If your garden doesn’t meet those conditions, try growing it in containers in a well-draining potting mix.
Blue vervain (V. hastata) is a native wildflower that grows in moist or wet soils.
It can be planted around ponds or in rain gardens.
U.S. Forest Service.The Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor).
U.S. Forest Service.Hummingbird Moth (Hemarisspp.
).
