“Be like a tree. stay on the rug Connect to your roots. New period of my life. Bend before you break. Enjoy your unique natural beauty. Keep growing.” – Joanne Raptis.
“Don’t be afraid to get on your feet. There’s the fruit.” —Frank Scully.
“Start doing what you want to do now. We don’t live in eternity. We have only this moment, twinkling like a star in our hand and melting like a snowflake.” – Francis Bacon Sr.
“When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate. When life is bitter, say thank you and grow.” – Shauna Niequist.
Vervain copes with every spot in the garden on the hottest summer days! They are known to withstand the pressures of hot, dry conditions and many new hybrids have been bred just for this situation.
Verbena is a member of the Verbenaceae family characterized by clusters or spikes of flowers on a thermophilic herb, shrub, tree or vine. Other members of this family include lemon verbena, lantana, porterweed (Stachytarpheta spp.), and sandpaper vine (Petrea volubilis). While verbena was used as a medicinal herb and sacred plant in ancient Egyptian, Roman, and Greek civilizations, today it is prized for its ornamental value. There are many different types and habits, including upright and tall, and piled and trailing. Some Verbena are also great ground covers.
Annual varieties to look for include Aztec Series which has large clusters of vibrant flowers that make an eye catching display in containers, beds and hanging baskets. Blooms profusely from heat and humidity on a hanging plant. Empress Series These include both hanging and semi-hanging Verbena species with showy flower colors that remain compact 8-10 inches tall but can spread to 18 inches wide.
EnduraScape™ Pink two tone is a 2017 All-America Selections winner. This vigorous and spreading, long flowering plant can be considered a hardy annual as it thrives in the heat and can tolerate some cool temperatures as well. and Firehouse™ Purple Fizz is a top performer in many university floral exams. This medium-growing lilac and white bicolor verbena has a lovely hilly habit perfect for hanging baskets and landscapes. This variety and the others in the Firehouse series have excellent tolerance to powdery mildew and extended summer flowering.
lanai has distinctive color patterns that remain strong and stable (and resistant to powdery mildew) throughout the growing season. Lanais come in three styles: regular, compact, and upright. Twister series is popular for its unique tricolor flowers and long flowering times. and Obsession series is known for bold colors and a twister pattern and is one of the few verbs still available from seed.
Superbena® Imperial Blue™ is a new strain on the market with an attractive and truly unique blue color on large buds. This Superbena has exceptional branching with a neat, manageable growth. It’s tough as nails and continues to flower late into the summer. Likewise, Beats™ range is a fun new compact size of verbena. Purple+White is a two tone bloomer that is a great option for small patio pots and table bowls as it retains its eye catching burst of color all summer long.
Temari® Trailing are a number of broadleaf verbena that produce stout branches that quickly form mounds of color with large stout blooms. and Tapien® is a fine-leaved series of verbena known for its spreading habit and good cold and heat tolerance and mildew resistance. Tapia is an excellent ground cover plant and blooms constantly. Tuscany, also from seed, has an upright habit perfect for small to medium sized containers. Large blooms and sunny colors add bright interest to the garden.
Cake Pops™ is fun and functional. This verbena has a cute spherical flower shape and does not blush. Cake pops are available in two pleasant soft colors: pink and purple. and Homestead Purple has been around for over two decades. It is best known for its determination to bloom all summer and is a perennial in zones 7-11. It is an excellent drought tolerant ground cover. A new color, Homestead Hot Pink promises the same performance in a bright new shade.
Verbena Tips for the Home Garden: While verbena seeds are available, many of the newer varieties that exhibit the desirable traits are vegetatively propagated and can be found as young plants at your local garden supply store in spring. Verbena look best when their soil is kept moist but not wet as they dislike wet feet. Flushing can occur if the growing medium dries out too much. Flushing is commonly known as a color change where the plant loses its flowers but remains green and leafy.
Additionally, Verbena plants should be placed in sunny spots, aiming for 6 or more hours of direct light. Most species do well in soil or in the landscape. They can also be displayed in hanging baskets and patio containers. For the compact-growing verbena, these work best in pots and don’t have the rooting power for garden bed applications. For prolonged flowering, wilt verbena by cutting or pulling off wilted flower heads.
And powdery mildew is an unfortunate occurrence on some verbena. The best course of action is to look for newer strains that have built-in resistance. If it does appear (it shows up as white patches of fluffy fungus on leaves or stems), treat with a neem spray or your favorite fungicide. Catching this powdery mildew early is the best solution as this disease can spread quickly and its fungus blocks the sunlight for the plant’s nutritional system, which makes the plant unable to produce food, which will eventually lead to the plant’s death.
Verbena gardening can enhance your landscape design and add texture and color to your patio containers. You’ll appreciate their colorful branches and how well they blend with other flowers in your garden. Verbena is an excellent choice for plant lovers of all gardening abilities.
This fact sheet is provided as an educational service of the National Garden Bureau (www.ngb.org/year-of-plants-2022).
“In my fear I cried out to the Lord and he responded by delivering me. The Lord is with me; I won’t be afraid What can man do to me?”—Psalm 118:5-6.
“We are therefore ambassadors of Christ…” – 2 Corinthians 5:20.
Jesus said, “If you hold fast to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:31-32.
“Live according to the Spirit, and you will not satisfy the lusts of the sinful nature.”—Galatians 5:16.
Seagle is a Sustainability Verifier, Golf Environment Organization (Scotland), Agronomist and Horticultural Expert, CSI: Seagle (Consulting Services International) LLC, Professor Emeritus and Honorary Alumnus (Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College), Distinguished Professor for Teaching and Learning (University System of Georgia) and Short term missionary (Heritage Church, Moultrie). Direct inquiries to csi_seagle @yahoo.com.
