When should I plant verbena
John Castro
Published Mar 29, 2026
Verbena flowers quickly after planting, so for a growing season full of bright blooms the best time to plant verbena is in early spring, March or early April. In coastal areas with moderate temperatures, verbena may also be planted summer or fall.
When can I plant out verbena?
when to plant verbena Verbena seed can be sown indoors from February to April or direct sown in May. Plants can go out once the danger of frost is passed in May.
Can I plant verbena in the ground?
The verbena flower is not particular about soil, except that it must be well-draining. … Perennial varieties of the verbena flower are often lost when planted in soil that becomes soggy following heavy winter snow or spring rain. Good drainage can offset this problem.
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 grow in winter?
Verbena flowers will grow back quickly, and they will continue doing so until the winter sets in, and they turn dormant. Trimming is best done with a sharp pair of garden shears. Be sure to sterilize them with a household disinfectant before and after use to prevent plant diseases from spreading.
Is Verbena easy to grow?
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.
Is Verbena a 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.
What plants go well with verbena?
Choosing a color palate for your garden is really up to your own taste, but some flowers that pair well with verbena include marigolds, nasturtiums, and zinnias.Do verbena plants spread?
It spreads by long white rhizomes (underground stems) which spread out in all directions and form dense colonies. Because of this growth habit, it forms a very effective groundcover. Rigid Verbena is hardy and drought resistant.
How long do verbena plants last?Verbena bonariensis is a unique plant loved by fans of prairie-style planting and by butterflies and pollinators. The tall stiff stems tower gracefully above many other companion plants, growing up to 2m. They bear clusters of bright purple flowers through the summer months and well into September.
Article first time published onCan verbena grow in pots?
It’s easily grown in containers, and a verbena hanging basket filled with trailing varieties creates a spectacular visual accent on the patio or indoors. Whether started from seed or established plants, even novice container gardeners can grow it.
How do you take care of verbena?
VERBENA CARE Although established verbenas are drought tolerant, water them regularly during extended periods of drought, especially container-grown plants. It is equally important to ensure that your verbenas are well-drained in both containers and garden beds so the roots don’t sit in soggy soil.
Does verbena grow in part sun?
Most verbenas are not tolerant when it comes to their light conditions. They must receive full sun throughout the day, which means at least 8 to 10 hours of direct sunlight in which they can soak. They will tolerate some light shade, but not much.
Is verbena Hardy?
Tall, narrow, sparsely-leafed stems bear flattened heads of bright lavender-purple flowers that provide useful height in a herbaceous border. This is a short-lived perennial, and because it is borderline hardy, plants may be damaged by winter frosts.
Which verbena is perennial?
Zones6 – 10Light RequirementsFull SunWater ToleranceLow-WaterMature Height3-4″ tallMature Spread12-15″ wide
Can you keep verbena overwinter?
Fuchsias, geraniums and verbena are all tender perennials, meaning plants that are not cold hardy. … But if you’d like to keep your tender perennials year after year, you can winterize your fuchsia, geranium or verbena plant to enjoy again in the spring by bringing it indoors.
How long does verbena take to grow?
The seeds need to be at a temperature of between 24–27C in order to germinate; this may take two to three weeks. When the seeds are large enough to handle, transplant each one into 7.5cm pots. Gradually harden off the plants and plant them outside when all risk of frosts have passed.
Should verbena be deadheaded?
Deadhead faded flowers or blooms to ensure that blooming continues all through the gardening season. Some people do not regularly deadhead faded blooms. 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 poisonous to dogs?
While some species of the verbena family, such as lantana, are considered toxic to dogs, lemon verbena is generally safe unless your dog consumes large amounts. Known interactions can include kidney irritation, so you may want to reconsider planting lemon verbena if your dog is an avid chewer with kidney problems.
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.
How often do you water verbena in pots?
Grow verbena so plants are watered once the soil is dry to encourage flowering during hot periods. Deadhead spent flowers to encourage more blooms. If the plants get leggy, consider cutting back verbena’s trailing vines by one-third to stimulate more side branching and flowering.
Is verbena invasive?
Is Verbena bonariensis an invasive weed? Yes and no. Because Verbena bonariensis is not a native plant in the United States, and it has become naturalized in certain states, this gives it the classification of being invasive in those states.
What is verbena good for?
The parts that grow above ground are used to make medicine. Verbena is used for sore throats and respiratory tract diseases such as asthma and whooping cough, and for heart conditions such as chest pain (angina) and fluid retention due to heart failure.
How tall do verbena plants grow?
Verbenas grow from 20cm to 2m and require sharply drained soils in full sun.
Is Verbena good for hanging baskets?
Verbena is perfect for providing loads of overflowing color for containers, window boxes and hanging baskets. The long trailing clusters of flowers add big interest as they spill down and over the side. The blooms are extremely bright, and actually are a great way to attract more hummingbirds to your landscape.
Can you plant verbena with tomatoes?
If you live in a perennial zone where lemon verbena is hardy (zone 8 through 11), the plant can become an anchoring shrub in your landscape, releasing its citrusy aroma as you brush by. Set your plants out at the same time you plant tomatoes, coleus, and other warm-weather lovers.
Can I plant verbena with roses?
Ranging from soft hues to rich tones, there is a shade of purple to complement any colour rose. Opt for small, delicate purple flowers such as Verbena or Geraniums or create texture with tall, pointed, purple flowers such as Agastache.
Is verbena A perennial UK?
Tender varieties of verbena Tender verbenas are perennials that won’t be able to survive a British winter.
What is the best fertilizer for verbena?
Fertilizer. Verbenas are not heavy feeders, but they do appreciate a monthly application of balanced, slow-release flower fertilizer to help them keep up the flower show, which can last from spring until frost.
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.
Can verbena survive in shade?
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. Verbena is generally referred to as long blooming.