Mostly native to Asia, the Americas, and parts of Europe, verbena is a stunning plant that features delicate clusters of small flowers that attract pollinators like butterflies. Verbena is an ideal plant for adding lasting color to your landscaping, with blooms that can last for weeks, if not longer. Depending on the cultivar, verbena plants can vary significantly in size. Some are known for spreading quickly and making excellent ground cover, while others grow taller, making a striking vertical statement. These versatile plants typically grow between 6 inches to 3 feet in height and thrive in garden beds, window boxes, vertical vegetable walls, and containers.
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While most verbena flowers bloom in shades of red and purple, you’ll also find them in white, pink, and other vibrant colors. Some popular varieties, like Verbena hybrida and Lemon Verbena, are prized for their beauty and fragrance, making them a favorite in many gardens. With the right care, verbena can thrive in many different settings. Proper air circulation helps prevent powdery mildew, while regular deadheading encourages fresh new growth. In USDA growing zones that suit its needs, verbena will grow beautifully for months. In this article, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about planting and caring for verbena, along with the different varieties available, so you can bring this vibrant beauty to your garden.
How To Grow Verbena
Verbena needs certain things to thrive — here’s what you need to know.
Light
When growing verbena, light is key. These sun-loving plants need at least six to eight hours of full sunlight daily to really thrive. Without enough light, you’ll likely run into issues like powdery mildew. I recommend you pick a sunny spot in your garden or containers to keep your verbena healthy and blooming.
Soil
Verbena isn’t picky about soil as long as it drains well. It can handle poor or sandy soils, though adding compost or fertilizer to sandy areas helps boost growth. If you’re dealing with clay soil, you’ll want to improve drainage by changing it before planting. If you’re growing verbena in containers, use a well-draining potting mix to keep the roots happy and prevent waterlogged soil.
Water
When it comes to watering, it’s important to keep things balanced. Verbena prefers the soil to dry out between waterings. Once established, it can handle a bit of drought, but to get the best blooms, aim for about an inch of water per week. During dry spells, give them a deep watering once a week, and make sure to water at the base, avoiding wetting the foliage to prevent mildew. If you’re growing in containers, keep an eye on moisture levels, as they’ll dry out quicker. Adding a little fertilizer in the spring or monthly for potted plants can also give your verbena a blooming boost.
How To Care for Verbena
Verbena are fairly easy to care for and will thrive as long as they get plenty of sunlight and about an inch or so of water each week. Mildew is likely the biggest issue you’ll encounter when planting and caring for verbena. You’ll know it’s present if you notice a white, powder-like residue on the plant. As mentioned above, one way to avoid the spread of mildew is to leave space between verbena when planting so they have room to air out. Mildew can’t easily spread from plant to plant. When planted in soil that doesn’t drain well, root rot can also be an issue.
Additionally, you’ll want to remove dead plants and debris from the garden or planter boxes as necessary and remove dead flower heads to keep the plants healthy and encourage future blooms. If you happen to have an issue with insects, remember that spraying will likely have a negative impact on butterflies, which are attracted to this sprawling bloom, so non-chemical methods of pest control are best.
Features of Verbena
These are some of verbena’s main characteristics.
Height
Verbena comes in all shapes and sizes, making it a great addition to any garden style. Low-growing varieties like Glandularia canadensis (superbena) stay under a foot tall but can spread out as much as 5 feet, making them ideal for ground cover. On the flip side, tall types like Verbena hastata (blue vervain) or Verbena bonariensis can grow up to 5 feet high. Whether you’re looking for something that sprawls or stands tall, verbena gives you plenty of options to fit into your garden plans.
Growth Rate
Verbena grows quickly, so it fills your garden fast, and even the annual varieties start blooming early in the growing season. They keep those vibrant flowers going until late summer. I recommend regular deadheading. This encourages fresh new growth, so you’ll enjoy colorful blooms all season long. Since verbena loves the heat, it’s perfect for warmer climates. Rely on it to thrive no matter where you use it in your landscaping.
Landscape Use
Besides growing fast, verbena is a real standout with its bold flowers that bring a pop of color to your space. It’s a pollinator magnet and deer-resistant, making it a low-maintenance choice for garden beds, containers, or vertical gardens. Just plant it in full sun, and make sure there’s good air circulation to prevent powdery mildew.
How To Plant Verbena
Verbena loves the sun, so make sure to plant it where it gets at least six hours of direct sunlight a day. It grows best in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 to 9, but the exact zone can vary depending on the variety. If it doesn’t get enough sun, verbena will struggle.
This plant can handle a range of soil conditions and doesn’t need much water once it’s established. Just be sure the soil drains well. Also, give each plant enough space — planting them too close together can lead to issues like mildew, so keep that air circulating for healthier growth.
A Few Favorite Varieties of Verbena
Verbena grows in more than 200 varieties of both annuals and perennials. Here are a few types you may want to plant in your gardens and flower boxes this spring.
Purpletop Vervain (Verbena Bonariensis)
This unique perennial can reach up to 6 feet tall and features tiny, delicate flowers that are well-loved by butterflies and other pollinators. It has a long blooming season that can last from late spring through the fall.
For more ideas on cultivating spring flowers, I recommend reading about our favorite spring blossoms.
Fuego Pink Verbena (Verbena ‘Fuego Pink’)
Known to expand 18 inches wide or more, this is a fast-growing variety of verbena that is a great option for flower boxes, containers, and hanging baskets. The flowers spill and trail out, creating a wonderfully decorative display of pink blooms.
Quartz Silver Verbena (Verbena ‘Quartz Silver’)
This type of verbena has small white and grayish/lavender flowers. It grows up to about 8 inches tall, instead of spreading out like many other verbena types.
Homestead Purple Verbena (Verbena ‘Homestead Purple’)
This perennial of purple flowers spreads into any available space, making it best for ground cover or as a trailing plant in flower boxes or hanging planters.
Babylon White Verbena (Verbena ‘Babylon White’)
This is a spreading or trailing variety of verbena with delicate white flowers that grow in clusters and look beautiful in hanging baskets and planters. It’s disease-resistant and requires only a little care and maintenance.
Lanai Lavender Star Verbena (Verbena ‘Lanai Lavender Star’)
Commonly seen in hanging baskets, this variety of verbena is notable for its lavender blooms with tiny white stripes. It’s capable of spreading up to 2 feet wide and usually doesn’t grow taller than 6 inches.
Texas Rose Verbena (Verbena ‘Texas Rose’)
This perennial verbena boasts saturated pink flowers. It’s of the spreading variety and will grow quickly, taking over any space that’s available.
Moss Verbena (Verbena Tenuisecta)
Moss verbena has smaller leaves than other verbena varieties and can tolerate cooler conditions, including frost. It’s also drought-tolerant and features tiny clusters of purple or violet flowers.
Professional Lawn Care Services for Verbena
If you don’t have time or have trouble taking care of your landscaping, including verbena, you might want to hire a professional like TruGreen to take care of your lawn and garden. TruGreen sends trained professionals to your home for a customized lawn care treatment guaranteed to get your lawn looking healthy and green.
To learn more: TruGreen Review
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Final Thoughts on Verbena
There are so many fantastic varieties of verbena to choose from for your garden, and sticking to a few simple care tips lead to a successful planting. Whether it’s the trailing beauty of Glandularia canadensis or the upright charm of Verbena hastata, these resilient plants bring striking color to any space. With the right care, verbena has an extended blooming season, attracting pollinators and keeping your garden beautiful.
To help verbena thrive, remember to understand its needs. These plants love full sun and well-drained soil, so plant them where they can thrive. Proper watering, fertilizing, and spacing are key to maintaining healthy, vibrant plants.
Frequently Asked Questions
Verbena thrives in full sun but can also tolerate partial shade. It prefers a spot that gets at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight each day for the best growth and blooming.
Deer generally avoid eating verbena, making it a great choice for gardens in areas with deer.
When it comes to watering, keep things balanced. Verbena prefers the soil to dry out between waterings. Once established, it can handle a bit of drought, but to get the best blooms, aim for about an inch of water per week.
