Verbena Perennials: Identifying, Growing & Caring for Hardy Varieties
Verbena are stunning and abundant perennials that are often overlooked by gardeners.
These plants are perfect bloomers that come in both annual and perennial varieties, making them a great choice for any garden.
Unfortunately, identifying different types of verbena can be difficult, which has led to their underutilization in colder regions.
In this article, we'll take a closer look at this amazing plant and explore the many reasons why you should consider adding it to your garden.
Identifying Hardy Perennial Verbena Varieties
There are over 250 species of annual and perennial verbena, so it's important to work with a reliable nursery to correctly identify hardy perennial verbena varieties.
Some popular options include:
Moss Verbena (Glandularia pulchella): Hardy in zones 8 to 10, these perennials have a relatively short lifespan.
Purpletop Vervain (Verbena bonariensis): Hardy in zones 7 to 11, this variety is known for its toughness.
Trailing Verbena (Glandularia canadensis): One of the hardiest types of verbena, this plant is a popular choice for gardeners. It grows well in well-drained soil and loves hot weather.
Blue Vervain (Verbena hastate): Hardy all the way to zone 3, this variety is a great choice for colder regions.
Growing and Caring for Verbena
Verbena are easy to grow and require very little effort to thrive. These plants bloom nonstop from early summer to fall frost and are great for ground cover or trailing over the edges of a garden wall or container. Some cultivars grow more upright, making them perfect for a cottage garden.
Verbena prefer hot and sunny growing conditions, are drought tolerant, and are not picky about soil. However, it's important to ensure the soil is well-drained as very wet conditions in spring and fall can be fatal to the plant.
Pruning is key to keeping verbena in full bloom. Don't be afraid to prune these plants to encourage new growth and remove dead or damaged blooms. With the right care, verbena will put on a stunning nonstop show that is sure to impress.
Types of Verbena
Verbena canadensis ‘Apple Blossom’
Common Name: Vervain Verbena
Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
Height: 14”
Spread: 20”
Sun/Shade Requirements: Full Sun. At least 8 hours of direct sunlight is critical for profuse blooming.
Water Requirements: Low, drought tolerant
Soil Requirements: Average soil, well drained
Growth Habit: Low growing spreading groundcover
Bloom Time: Late Early Summer to Late Fall
Bloom Color: Bright Purple
Bloom Form: Clusters of small five petaled tubular flowers
Foliage: Dense mat of dark green with dissected leaves
Fragrance: None
Pest and Disease Resistance: May be bothered by aphids, slugs, snails, powdery mildew, leaf spot, rust.
Fertilize: Apply a fertilizer monthly, ideally a slow release 19-5-9 formula
Maintenance: Very low maintenance. Shear about one fourth of the plant as the blooms wane to encourage a new showier flush. Best to prune just before feeding.
Other: Attracts Butterflies, pollinators and hummingbirds. Deer resistant.
Hardiness: Zone 6-10
‘Apple Blossom’ is an heirloom cultivar of a species plant that forms a luxuriant, sprawling mat of lush green foliage, covered in bright blooms throughout the season. Although pests and diseases are typically not an issue, providing ample spacing and air circulation can help prevent them. Extended heat can slow down the blooming, so it's best to water early in the day to allow for proper drying.
As the flowers mature, they will gradually fade to white. To encourage continuous blooming, it's recommended to cut back spent blooms. For a more compact plant, ‘Apple Blossom’ can be sheared back periodically by a fourth of the top growth in a long growing season, which will force new growth and buds. This everblooming groundcover can be cut back as desired. Propagation can be achieved by dividing the plant in the spring or through root cuttings.
Verbena canadensis ‘Homestead Purple’
Common Name: Vervain Verbena
Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
Height: 10-12”
Spread: 24-36”
Sun/Shade Requirements: Full Sun. At least 8 hours of direct sunlight is critical for profuse blooming.
Water Requirements: Low, drought tolerant
Soil Requirements: Average soil, must be well drained
Growth Habit: Low growing spreading groundcover
Bloom Time: Spring to Frost
Bloom Color: Light pink with dark pink centers
Bloom Form: Clusters of small five petaled tubular flowers
Foliage: Dense mat of dark green with dissected leaves
Fragrance: None
Pest and Disease Resistance: May be bothered by aphids, slugs, snails, powdery mildew, leaf spot, rust.
Fertilize: Apply a fertilizer monthly, ideally a slow release 19-5-9 formula
Maintenance: Very low maintenance. Shear about one fourth of the plant as the blooms wane to encourage a new showier flush. Best to prune just before feeding. Will self seed in ideal conditions.
Other: Attracts Butterflies, pollinators and hummingbirds. Deer resistant. Slight tolerance to salt.
Hardiness: Zone 7-10. Heavily mulched will typically survive in zone 6.
Introduced in the early 1990s, ‘Homestead Purple’ sparked significant interest in Verbena and spurred the development of many new hardy cultivars. This groundcover is particularly captivating, boasting an abundance of blooms. Its long stems ramble across the ground and turn upwards at the tips, creeping along and rooting into the soil. The vibrant flower clusters are sizable, reaching up to 3 inches in diameter and held above the foliage.
Likely a chance hybrid with a different Verbena species, this plant possesses somewhat unique characteristics. Although it can grow as far north as zone 5, ‘Homestead Purple’ can be quite finicky regarding exposure and drainage. It dislikes wet conditions during winters and requires well-drained soil. This fast-growing, ever-blooming perennial benefits from regular feeding every few weeks.
Verbena canadensis
Common Name: Rosa verbena, Clump verbena, Rose Vervain
Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
Height: 8-12”
Spread: 20-24”
Sun/Shade Requirements: Full Sun. At least 8 hours of direct sunlight is critical for profuse blooming.
Water Requirements:
Soil Requirements: Average soil, well drained
Growth Habit: Low growing spreading groundcover
Bloom Time: May to frost
Bloom Color: Bright rose lilac
Bloom Form: Dense clusters of small five petaled tubular flowers
Foliage: Dense mat of dark green with deeply scalloped leaves
Fragrance: None
Pest and Disease Resistance: May be bothered by aphids, slugs, snails, powdery mildew, leaf spot, rust.
Fertilize: Apply a fertilizer monthly, ideally a slow release 19-5-9 formula
Maintenance: Very low maintenance. Shear about one fourth of the plant as the blooms wane to encourage a new showier flush. Best to prune just before feeding.
Other: Attracts Butterflies, pollinators and hummingbirds. Deer resistant. Slight tolerance to salt.
Hardiness: Zone 6-10, reports of hardiness to zone 5 with winter protection.
While the cultivar ‘Homestead Purple’ has gained immense popularity, the Vervain species plant is equally striking. Its long stems spill gracefully over container edges, walls, and ledges, adorned with blooms all season long. The sprawling growth can be managed with regular pruning.
Although extreme heat may temporarily halt blooming, recovery is swift and hardly noticeable. To encourage continuous blooming, periodic shearing is necessary to force new buds. Waiting for the last bloom to fade can result in less blooming, so it's recommended to shear back about a quarter of the plant when half of the blooms have spent.
Verbena plants are drought-tolerant, but during prolonged dry periods, it's essential to water them to prevent leaf loss. Mulching heavily in the winter helps ensure survival during the colder months.