How long do verbena plants live?

When cultivated as perennials, verbenas typically have a short lifespan, often lasting only two to three years. However, if you are growing a species type instead of a hybrid, these plants can self-seed freely, potentially establishing themselves in such a way that they seem to thrive indefinitely.

How is this plant used in landscaping?

Verbenas thrive in sunny conditions and make excellent companion plants for other sun-loving varieties such as coneflowers, coreopsis, lamb's ear, phlox, and petunias. Hybrid annual verbenas are known for their consistent blooming and are often used in pots or as bedding plants in gardens. They can be planted in groups or positioned as front-edging plants, where their sprawling nature is particularly advantageous. Many hybrids exhibit a trailing growth habit, making them ideal for hanging baskets, rock gardens, or gracefully cascading over short retaining walls. Some varieties spread out, effectively covering ground in sunny locations.

My plants are getting leggy, what do I do?

When verbenas become leggy and sparse, it may indicate that the plant is reaching out for more light. Ensure that the plant gets a minimum of six hours of sunlight daily. If sunlight isn't the problem, consider pruning it back significantly and providing nourishment. This combination of pruning and feeding should encourage robust new growth and an abundance of blooms.

How can I encourage more blooms?

Deadhead your spent flowers to encourage a longer bloom season.

Can I grow in containers?

Verbena is often seen in hanging baskets combined with various flowers, serving as excellent "spillers" that cascade over the edges of the container. For container planting, any general-purpose potting mix can be used in well-draining containers of any material. Additionally, if verbena is growing in the ground, you can pot it up for indoor overwintering. Typically grown as annuals, potted verbenas generally do not need repotting and should be discarded at the end of the growing season. Perennial verbenas have a relatively short lifespan of two to three growing seasons and are not ideal as permanent houseplants. However, potted verbenas can be classified as warm-climate perennials, allowing you to bring them indoors to continue growing during winter. If you choose to move them inside, trim them back by one-third before the transition and place them in a spot that receives ample sunlight.