Growing Guide
 
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Verbena

Annual Flower

Also known as Common Garden Verbena
Verbena x. hybrida upright
Verbenaceae Family
Synonym: Verbena x. hortensis

Brightly colored flowers in dense, flat flower heads offset the dark green foliage of this classic garden border plant. Trailing varieties are great in hanging baskets. Tolerates dry soil.

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Site Characteristics
Sunlight:
  • full sun

Soil conditions:

  • tolerates droughty soil
  • requires well-drained soil
Prefers moist but well-drained soil.

Special locations:

  • outdoor containers
  • xeriscapes
Plant Traits

Lifecycle: annual

Ease-of-care: easy

Height: 0.3 to 1.5 feet

Spread: 0.5 to 2 feet

Bloom time:

  • mid-summer
  • late summer
  • early fall
  • mid-fall

Flower color:

  • red
  • violet
  • white
  • pink

Foliage color: dark green

Foliage texture:

  • medium
  • fine

Leaves are deeply lobed. 'Imagination' has lacy leaves and is fine-textured.

Shape:

  • spreading mass
  • upright

Some varieties are trailing and good for hanging baskets.

Shape in flower: flower stalks with upright spikes

Flowers borne above the foliage in dense, erect, flat clusters.

Special Considerations
Special characteristics:
  • deer resistant
  • non-aggressive
  • non-invasive
  • not native to North America - Hybrid with parents native to Central and South America.
Attracts:
  • butterflies
  • hummingbirds
Special uses:
  • cut flowers
Growing Information
How to plant:

Propagate by seed - Start seeds indoors 10 to 12 weeks before the last spring frost. Cover the seed, as darkness aids germination.

Germination temperature: 65 F to 70 F

Days to emergence: 21 to 28

Maintenance and care:
Pinch back to keep bushy. Deadhead to prolong bloom.

More growing information: How to Grow Annuals

Pests:
Leafminer
Plant bugs
Spider mites
Aphids
Varieties
�Quartz� Series: 10� tall plants are compact and dense, with flowers in shades of red, white, pink and purple.

�Peaches and Cream�: Flowers are bright orange near the center of the flower head, fading to pale orange-salmon near the edges. Very unusual color for Verbena.

�Blaze�: 9� tall plants with brilliant red flowers.

�Amour Light Pink�: 10?� all and 10� wide plants with flowerheads made up of tiny flowers in varying shades of pink.

�Romance Lavender�: very pale lavender pink flowers on 8 to 10� tall, compact plants.

'Amethyst': blue flowers with white centers.

�Imagination�: 24� wide plants with blue flowers. Leaves are lacy and fine-textured.