Verbena
Verbena
Verbena blooms from May through October.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing Verbena
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 9–11. Expect it to reach about 10 in tall and 1.6 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 1 year.
When to plant Verbena
Wait until all danger of frost has passed, then plant out Verbena into warm soil; in most zones that means late spring. Planted then, it flowers from May to October.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 9 in February.
Comes in 11 varieties across 5 colors
Same plant, same care - pick the color you are growing.
Good to know about Verbena
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Worth knowing
Its worst disease, powdery mildew, hates the very spot the plant loves: full sun with generous spacing for air flow gives the most bloom and the least mildew at once. per Clemson and NC State
Heat tolerance depends on type
In hot, humid regions, seed-grown bedding verbenas often stall once summer heat rises, while vegetatively propagated types keep going. Pick a vegetative series, not a seed mix. per Clemson
Non-toxic, but check the name
Garden verbena is not on ASPCA's toxic list. But lemon verbena, a same-family cousin, is listed toxic to dogs, cats and horses, so confirm the botanical name. per ASPCA
Shear it to rebloom
When bloom stalls in mid-summer, cut the whole plant back by about one quarter, then water and lightly feed. It returns to bloom in 2 to 3 weeks. per Clemson
Deer rarely browse it
Two extension services report deer usually leave garden verbena alone, though it is deer-resistant, not deer-proof, and hungry deer under pressure may still sample it. per NC State and UGA
Feeds butterflies and hummingbirds
Its long summer-to-frost bloom is a steady nectar source for butterflies, bumblebees, and hummingbirds, though as a non-native it is a moderate rather than top-tier pollinator plant. per Clemson
What pairs well with Verbena
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Perennial Sunflower
Shares full sun and moderate water; taller at 4.9 ft, for the layer behind it; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage.
Joe Pye Weed
Shares full sun and moderate to high water; stands well above at 5.9 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage.
Sneezeweed
Shares full sun and moderate water; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage.
Lilac
Shares full sun and moderate water; opens in mid spring and overlaps into this one's season; stands well above at 9.8 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; echoes the purple.
Rosemary
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; opens in early spring and overlaps into this one's season; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Viburnum
Shares full sun and moderate water; opens in mid spring and overlaps into this one's season; stands well above at 6.6 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; its white flowers settle the purple.
Witch Hazel
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate water; blooms in late winter, before this one opens; stands well above at 9.8 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Feather Reed Grass
Shares full sun and moderate water; taller at 4.9 ft, for the layer behind it; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; orange against purple, for contrast.
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