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Verbena
Verbena
Verbena blooms from May through October.
Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.
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 20 in wide at maturity, in roughly 1 year (not yet checked).
What was checked
Mature height and spread, 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, and each fact above says which. The planting, spacing and size sections are derived from these checked facts by a fixed rule, not checked separately, and the plant type is the library's own classification.
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; if you garden near zone 9, the middle of this plant's hardy range, start with zone 9 in February. Derived from the plant's category, zones and bloom months plus typical zone frost dates, not checked separately.
How big does Verbena get?
10 intall5 ft 7 inan adult20 inwideSee Verbena in a garden plan: the planner shows it in 3D beside everything else you add, growing toward this size over the years.
How far apart to plant Verbena
Derived from the mature spread above by a fixed rule, not checked separately: spacing is the spread, center to center.
Space Verbena about 20 in apart, center to center, so each plant has room to reach its full width.
Add Verbena to a garden plan and the planner draws it at its full width, so you see the spacing before you buy.
Where these facts come from
Verbena's height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags were checked against 12 published sources on July 30, 2026. Each one is linked below with every fact it carried, which can include a fact this page still marks as not yet checked, because a source carrying a value is not the same as the value being held to the standard. Facts not in that list, and the planting, spacing and size sections, are not covered by these sources.
- Missouri Botanical GardenVerbena bonariensisheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun, years to mature size and trait tags
- NC State ExtensionVerbena bonariensisheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun, years to mature size and trait tags
- NC State ExtensionVerbena rigidaheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun, years to mature size and trait tags
- Clemson Home and Garden Information CenterVerbena, HGIC 1175height, spread, sun, years to mature size and trait tags
- Missouri Botanical GardenVerbena x hybridaheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- Missouri Botanical GardenVerbena 'Imagination'height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- NC State ExtensionVerbena x hybridaheight, spread, sun, years to mature size and trait tags
- Proven WinnersGrowing Verbenaheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- University of Wisconsin HorticultureVerbena bonariensisheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- RHSVerbenaheight, sun and trait tags
- University of Illinois ExtensionVerbena x hybridaheight, sun and trait tags
- University of Arkansas ExtensionVerbena x hybridaheight and spread
How the checking works, and what each standard covers, is on the verified plants page.
Comes in 11 varieties across 5 colors
Same genus, similar care - pick the color you are growing.
Compare every variety in the Verbena group
Every figure is the variety's own page fact. Tap a name to open it.
| Variety | Color | Blooms | Hardiness | Sun | Size (H × W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coral | Red | May–Oct | Zones 9–11 | Full sun | 10 in × 20 in |
| EnduraScape Dark Purple | Purple | May–Oct | Zones 9–11 | Full sun | 12 in × 24 in |
| Imperial Blue | Blue | May–Oct | Zones 9–11 | Full sun | 10 in × 20 in |
| Lavender | Purple | May–Oct | Zones 9–11 | Full sun | 10 in × 20 in |
| Magenta | Pink | May–Oct | Zones 9–11 | Full sun | 10 in × 20 in |
| Pink Bicolor | Pink | May–Oct | Zones 9–11 | Full sun | 12 in × 24 in |
| Pink | Pink | May–Oct | Zones 9–11 | Full sun | 10 in × 20 in |
| Plum Wine | Red | May–Oct | Zones 9–11 | Full sun | 10 in × 20 in |
| Red | Red | May–Oct | Zones 9–11 | Full sun | 10 in × 20 in |
| Scarlet | Red | May–Oct | Zones 9–11 | Full sun | 10 in × 20 in |
| Verbenathis page | Purple | May–Oct | Zones 9–11 | Full sun | 10 in × 20 in |
| White | White | May–Oct | Zones 9–11 | Full sun | 10 in × 20 in |
Good to know about Verbena
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note. A note reports what its source says; where that differs from a fact above, the fact above is this entry's stored value, and its mark says whether it has been checked.
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 5 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 6 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 3.5 ft, for the layer behind it; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage.
Rosemary
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; opens in early spring and overlaps into this one's season; taller at 3.5 ft, for the layer behind it; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Lilac
Shares full sun and moderate water; opens in mid spring and overlaps into this one's season; stands well above at 10 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; echoes the purple.
Viburnum
Shares full sun and moderate water; opens in mid spring and overlaps into this one's season; stands well above at 6.5 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; its white flowers settle the purple.
Winterberry
Shares full sun and moderate to high water; overlaps, then carries the display into early winter; stands well above at 6.5 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; both offer pollinator forage.
Feather Reed Grass
Shares full sun and moderate water; taller at 5 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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