verbena plant images

Is Verbena a sun or shade plant?

Verbena is best planted in bright sun in USDA zones 7 to 10. Soil can be poor but must be well-draining.

Where is the best place to plant verbena?

Grow Verbena bonariensis in moist but well-drained soil in a sunny, sheltered position. Leave flowers to develop seedheads for the birds and, in mild regions, cut back before growth starts again in spring (plants might not survive winter in colder regions).

Does verbena come back every year?

Several species of plants fall under the genus Verbena. Although a few of these are annuals and need to be replanted each year, many more are perennials and come back year after year. As a perennial, verbena grows well in zones 7-11, but as an annual in cooler climates and zones.

Can verbena take full sun?

All verbena needs to grow in full sun to light shade in well-draining soil. Perennial verbenas are heat tolerant and drought tolerant once established. They do well in xeriscape gardens. ... As, perennials, verbena can be a short lived plant, this is why many perennial verbena varieties are grown as annuals.

Does verbena reseed itself?

Verbenas produce copious seeds and will reseed themselves in ideal climates. However, for those that get a sustained freeze, it might be best to save seed and then sow in spring.

Does verbena need a lot of water?

Verbena Plant Care

While the verbena flower is drought resistant, the blooms are improved with regular watering of an inch or so each week. Water verbena plants at the base to avoid wetting the foliage. However, verbena plant care may not include weekly water if rainfall in your area has reached an inch or more.

Should I deadhead verbena?

Deadhead faded flowers or blooms to ensure that blooming continues all through the gardening season. ... But, deadheading is necessary if you plant verbena for summer blooms. If the blooms slow, trim the whole plant by a quarter for a new show of flowers in 2 to 3 weeks.

Is Verbena easy to grow?

Drought-tolerant and low-maintenance, verbena is a real multi-tasker. Verbena is one of the easiest, low-maintenance plants that could be placed in the garden. Verbena is a drought-tolerant, heat loving and colorful plant that provides color from spring until frost.

What does verbena smell like?

Verbena has the strong citrus smell of lemon but more grassy, like citronella, than fruity. The leaves that produce the compelling scent are pointed, shiny and grow to a length of 3 inches. With a bunched, shrub-like appearance, verbena produces light purple flowers in the summer.

When should I plant verbena?

Sowing seeds of Verbena bonariensis

Seeds can be sown directly in the ground in spring, or you can start them off under glass in late-winter, and plant them outside later. For best results grow Verbena bonariensis in full sun to partial shade, in moist but well-drained soil.

Is Verbena A perennial or annual?

Verbenas are long blooming annual or perennial flowers that possess the virtues of heat tolerance and an extremely long bloom season. Many perennial verbenas are relatively short lived, but their vigor and heavy flowering make up for this defect.

What do you do with verbena in the winter?

Add mulch around the plant to protect it during winter.

Once you have finished deadheading, add a layer of mulch around the base of the plant. You can use a mulch that contains wood shavings, leaf mold, or compost. This will help protect the verbena in the winter.

Why is my verbena dying?

If your purple verbena is stressed from lack of sunlight or water or is otherwise weakened, it is susceptible to a powdery mildew infection that leaves a white fungal powder on the leaves' surfaces, shoots and flowers, and which causes premature leaf death.

Can I take cuttings from Verbena?

Verbena plants can also be propagated successfully from cuttings. The best time to take cuttings is in late spring, when they are most likely to root. Summer cuttings are tougher and more likely to survive, but they root much more slowly. Take a cutting that's 3 inches (7.5 cm.)

Is Verbena a good ground cover?

Verbena plants come in a variety of shapes and sizes. While some have an upright growing pattern, there are several that stay very short and spread quickly by creeping along the ground. These varieties are great for groundcover, and will fill in an empty space very fast with delicate, low foliage and bright flowers.

Is Verbena invasive?

If you want pollinator activity in your garden, plant verbena in a sunny spot. There are some “considerations” with Verbena bonariensis. In some places it is very invasive. The state of Washington lists it as a noxious weed.

How do you winterize verbena?

Verbena bonariensis deadheading is easy. As the verbena flowers fade, simply cut off or pinch the flower stems under the spent flowers. If the blooms are especially abundant, another option is to shear off the first few inches of the plant until the wilted blossoms are removed.

How do you harvest verbena?

Use shears or scissors to snip individual verbena stems to within ¼-inch (. 5 cm.) of a leaf node or leaf, preferably removing no more than approximately one-quarter of the stem. If you need a larger harvest, trim the entire plant down by one-quarter to one-half of its height.

What is verbena good for?

Verbena is a plant. The parts that grow above ground are used to make medicine. Verbena is used for mild gum disease (gingivitis), swelling (inflammation) of the nasal cavity and sinuses (rhinosinusitis), heart conditions, depression, and other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

What is the difference between verbena and lantana?

Verbena blooms are tubular in shape, growing in round cluster, and are typically 2 to 3 inches across. Lantana blooms are smaller, typically 1 to 2 inches across, and grow in tight clusters. In humid conditions, lantana plants will bloom year-round, while verbena plants bloom only through the summer and fall.