Verbena Makes a Carpet of Color All Season

Verbena is an easy to grow annual that makes a carpet of color through the summer. The flowers come in white, pink, purple, orange, and red. In some varieties, the center of each bloom has a contrasting white eye.

The plant can flower all summer and prefers fertile, well drained soil though it is not too particular about soil conditions. Verbena tolerates sun, but in hot climates, shade for half the day is fine. Morning sun with shade during hot afternoons is the ideal for verbena. Verbena is slightly to moderately drought tolerant, but water twice a week in dry weather.

Garden centers sell seeds and six packs.

Verbena can be grown form seeds planted in the spring but is a little slow to germinate and start growing. It is usually better to start from six packs planted in the spring . Occasionally, the plant will reseed itself in the following season. Plant groupings all the same color to get a mass affect. Space the plants eight to 10 inches apart at the front of a bed. Height is about 10 inches.

The plants spread more horizontally than vertical, dangling over the sides. Some types known as "trailing verbenas" are used for hanging baskets.

The plant can survive very light frosts and is a perennial in mild climates. "Perennial Verbena" is a very similar but less commonly grown plant that is more frost resistant. However, it is not totally reliable as a perennial.

Verbena has few problems.

Verbena plants can become infected by powdery mildew, a disease that can infect many types of flowering plants with a light gray discoloration of leaves. It is best to discard any plants showing the disease and grow verbena elsewhere next year. Try to avoid splashing soil onto the leaves when watering as this can spread powdery mildew.

Tiny insects called thrips sometimes suck the plant juices. Healthy, vigorous plants can sustain some damage without becoming unsightly. Leaf miners, which are extremely tiny insects, eat their way through the center of the leaves causing light colored tracks to appear. If you have only a few such leaves you can remove them or trim the plant back. Leaf miners are usually not fatal to verbena. Remove plants that are badly infected.

Butterflies are attracted to verbena.

Removing old blooms helps the growth of more flowers. The small blooms have five petals but grow in clusters several inches across making a colorful umbrella shaped head.

There are many species of verbena, and the cultivated types are hybrids. Popular varieties of verbena include: the "Aztec Series" in red pink and orange; variety "Imagination" with vivid blue-purple flowers, profuse bloomer; variety "Violet Eyes" with rosy pink and dark purple flowers. Others are "Obsession Series", "Quartz Series", "Romance Series", and "Novalis Series".