How to grow and care Verbena Flower (Complete guide)

Overview of Verbena

Verbena is a blooming plant that can grow in full sun and is recognized for its vivid colors. It is categorized under the botanical names Verbena spp. and Glandularia spp. These plants grow well on soil that is slightly acidic to neutral in pH, or neutral to slightly alkaline. Typically, verbena blooms in the spring, summer, and fall, yielding flowers with a range of colors, such as pink, purple, red, blue, and white.

Although this can vary depending on the particular species, they are hardy in a number of USDA zones, notably zones 4 through 11. Verbena is particularly prized for its capacity to attract songbirds and butterflies, which enlivens gardens and attracts in wildlife.

Pollinators love verbena because of its long-lasting blossoms, which make it a great choice for annual or perennial gardening. Find out the best methods for growing, planting, and caring verbena in your garden!

Long-blooming and heat-tolerant, verbena, also known as vervain, is a plant that can be either an annual or perennial. Certain types come in a range of colors and sizes; some are modest ground covers, while others can reach a height of six feet. In circular clusters, the flowers grow. Although many perennial types are short-lived, they can be used as annuals because they bloom in their first season.

On the other hand, humid and hot climates are difficult for bedding-type annual verbenas cultivated from seed. For window boxes, hanging baskets, and containers, verbenas are perfect.

How to plant Verbena

When to Plant

• Plant outside in the spring after the soil has warmed to at least 60°F (15°C) and there is no longer a risk of frost.
• Start seeds indoors about 8 weeks before the last anticipated frost date.

Choosing and Preparing a Planting Site

• Pick a spot that receives full sun exposure.
  Make sure the soil drains well; roots can rot in hard clay soils.
• Add compost to enhance the texture of the soil.
• To encourage branching and produce a bigger plant, pinch the tips of the branches while planting.
• Till the plants are well-established, keep the soil moist.

How to care for Verbena

• If the plants do not receive at least an inch of rain throughout their blooming season, water them once a week.
• In the summer, when the plant’s blooming slows down, cut down about 1/4 of its height and give it a good watering. It should rebloom in two to three weeks.
• After trimming back, apply a complete fertilizer (16-4-8) once more in the middle to late spring.
• For a more arranged look, give the plants a little trim in the autumn; do not take drastic measures until the spring, when new growth emerges.
• In the garden, certain types will naturally reseed themselves.

Propagation 

• Perennial verbena only live for two to three years in the garden, on average. In the spring, divide clusters of mature perennials.
• Cut stems in the late summer or early autumn.
• Take off the lowest pair of leaves from the stem, dip the bottom of the stem into rooting hormone, and place the stem in a moist potting soil container about 1 inch deep.
• To allow it to root, set the container on a sunny windowsill.
• Store seeds in the autumn to be planted in the spring or autumn.

Different types of Verbena

1. Purpletop Vervain: Has clusters of tiny lavender blooms and can grow to a height of 4 to 5 feet. This perennial self-sows short-lived.
2. Blue vervain: More tolerant of damp, cold soil than V. bonariensis, this plant grows to a height of 2 to 5 feet. exhibits violet-blue blooms.
3. Rigid Verbena: Generates a dense groundcover by spreading through lengthy rhizomes. The ‘Santos’ cultivar is hardy and resistant to drought; it can grow up to one foot tall and has pinkish-purple blossoms.
4. Moss verbena: This plant frequently hybridizes with other species and is noted for its finely cut leaves and low growth habit. Resistant to powdery mildew, the Tapien Series features lacy foliage and vibrant little blooms that bloom from early summer until the first frost. Compact in shape, ‘Edith’ has fragrant lavender-pink blooms.
5. Trailing verbena: These creeping vines flower nonstop throughout the summer and are tolerant of heat and dryness. “Appleblossom” has big pink flowers with a white center, “Homestead Purple” has clusters of dark purple flowers, and “Taylortown Red” is a strong red flower variety.
6. Verbena Annual: Most types of this common bedding plant wither in the summer heat. “Blue Princess” has deep blue blooms, “Texas Rose” has reddish-pink flowers, and “Tuscany Orchid Frost” has exceptionally big pink flowers.

Verbena Vs to Lemon Verbena (Aloysia citrodora)

Lemon verbena is a little shrub that is highly valued as a culinary herb because of its fragrant, lemon-scented leaves. Its leaves add flavor to a variety of foods, such as shellfish and yoghurt dips. Lemon verbena is classified under a different genus from real verbena species like Verbena and Glandularia, even though it belongs to the verbena family (Verbenaceae).

Harvesting of Verbena Flowers

Verbenas make wonderful long-lasting cut flower arrangements, especially the taller kinds with their stiff, slender stems and airy clusters of blooms.

Historical Perspectives

• The Latin name verbena means “sacred plant.
• When corresponding with foreign nations, Romans embellished peace emissaries with verbena stems.
• A mixture of verbena leaves cooked in vinegar was used in traditional folk medicine to treat pleurisy, lumbago, and rheumatic aches.

Pests and disease problems

In the garden, Verbena could encounter a variety of diseases and pests. Aphids, spider mites, leaf miners, thrips, snails, and slugs are common pests that can harm a plant’s leaves and blooms.

These plants are susceptible to a fungus called powdery mildew. It makes the leaves and stems turn white and powdery. It is known to tolerate rabbits and deer, but it’s still a great option for places where animals are prone to graze.