Verbena

Verbenas are a flowering fountain of youth… They bloom profusely, tolerate heat, and come back year after year. This is one of the showiest of perennial flowers for your home & garden.

History:

* Verbenas have been known since ancient times. The Druids would offer a sacrifice to the soil before gathering it and held bunches of it between their hands during devotions.

* People of Antiquity attributed verbena with certain medicinal properties. In folk medicine, verbena leaves boiled in vinegar was used to treat rheumatic pains, lumbago, pleurisy & aided in digestion.

* When the Romans sent messengers of peace to other nations they adorned their apparel with sprays of verbena.

Verbena will vary considerably in size depending on the variety. The ground cover moss verbena & trailing verbena grow to 1 foot in height spreading 2-5 feet in width. On the other hand, Brazilian verbena can grow to 6 feet tall.

Growth Rates:

Verbenas will grow fairly quickly and bloom well the first season after planting. Some of the verbena varieties are highly vigorous.

Location Needs:

Verbenas require locations that receive full sun throughout the day & they must have well drained soil. They will not tolerate overcrowding with poor air circulation, shade, or soil that stays overly moist.

Fertilize:

Light application of a complete fertilizer like 16-4-8 in mid to late spring as well as after trimming back will revitalize verbena. Note: Verbena growing in very sandy or poor soil may need more frequent fertilizing.

Water Needs:

Established verbenas are drought tolerant but if they are too dry for a long period of time the growth rate and flowering will be affected. During blooming periods, give them a thorough watering once per week if there has not been at least an inch of rain. Note: Try to avoid overhead watering.

Problems:

Most verbena problems occur when they don’t get enough sun and are in poorly draining soils. Verbenas are relatively pest free but can be affected by aphids, whitefly, thrips, leaf miners, and mites. Snails and slugs can be an issue if conditions are too wet or the area is too heavily mulched.