Verbena - also known as verbena - are popular flowers for sunny balconies or warm garden locations. The magnificent flowers in many colors can be admired throughout the summer, and the annual flowering plant is considered to be extremely easy to care for. In the following article we will tell you how to plant and care for the verbena correctly.

There are thousands of different types of verbs

Table of Contents

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  1. origin and distribution
  2. use
  3. appearance and growth
  4. leaves
  5. flowers and flowering time
  6. fruit
  7. toxicity
  8. Which location is suitable?
  9. floor
  10. pot culture
  11. Prefer
  12. Plant verbena correctly
  13. What is the best planting time?
  14. The right planting distance
  15. Pour verbena
  16. Fertilize verbena properly
  17. Cut verbena correctly
  18. propagate verbena
  19. hibernate
  20. diseases and pests
  21. Verbena not blooming, what to do?
  22. species and varieties

    23. origin and distribution

    Verbena belongs to the verbena family (Verbenaceae) and is therefore often referred to as "verbena". The genus is originally native to the warm regions of South America, but some species also have their origins in other parts of the world. The European wild species Verbena officinalis (vervain) has been considered a medicinal plant since ancient times and was preferably used for birth magic and for injuries. Most of the verbena available on the market today are hybrid forms and are characterized by the wide range of colors of their flowers. In addition, some hardy species - such as the Patagonian verbena (Verbena bonariensis) - are also very popular as short-lived garden and pot plants.

    use

    Verbena are primarily used to plant balcony boxes, (109.00€) tubs and hanging baskets, with a distinction being made between compact and hanging varieties. Compact and rather flat variants such as 'Vepita', 'Vectura' or 'Lindolena' come into their own in boxes and small containers, while forms with long and strong shoots unfold their splendor best in hanging baskets. Verbena look particularly pretty in combination with other lush flowering balcony classics such as vanilla flowers (Heliotropium arborescens), magic bells (Calibrachoa), petunias (Petunia) or begonias (Begonia).

    In addition, verbena is very suitable for underplanting, for example with rose or hibiscus tall stems. Furthermore, the flowers cut a fine figure in any mixed bed of summer flowers and perennials, especially in combination with roses, as gap fillers or as border plants. For example, a circular, colorfully planted flower bed in the middle of a lawn looks unusual.

    appearance and growth

    We usually cultivate the frost-sensitive and warmth-loving verbena as an annual, although some species and varieties can be overwintered. However, the effort required for this is not worthwhile, as the flowers produce numerous seeds in autumn. These can easily be used for further propagation.

    The flowers grow herbaceous, very dainty and delicate and reach different growth heights depending on the species and variety. The classic hybrid varieties bred for pot culture usually grow between 15 and 30 centimeters in height. Some variants grow upright, others creeping or with shoots hanging down.

    Verbena, with its pleasantly aromatic scent, is a very popular food plant for butterflies and other insects.

    leaves

    The lobed or pinnate, decussate leaves of the verbena have a serrated edge. Some varieties have rough hairy foliage, others smooth. The four-edged stem is characteristic of the genus. Side leaves are usually not formed.

    flowers and flowering time

    However, the delicate, green leaves of the verbena recede completely behind its lush, multi-flowered umbels. The umbrella-like to spherical inflorescences bloom in almost all colors from white to yellow, pink, red, violet to green and brown. However, the striped or two- to multicolored varieties such as 'Voodoo Star', 'Lanai Twister' or 'Wicked' are particularly attractive. Verbena also delight with their very long flowering period, which lasts from May until well into autumn. As a rule, only the first frost puts an end to the abundance of flowers.

    fruit

    The flowers are pollinated by insects. Subsequently, numerous nuts are formed, which contain the seeds. You can collect these and use them again and again for new seeding. In the bed, some types of verbena - especially the frost-hardy ones such as Verbena officinalis or Verbena hastata - like to sow themselves. These verbena are cold germs and need a cool period of cold weather before germinating when spring temperatures rise.

    toxicity

    Verbena has been used as a medicinal herb for centuries, primarily for external applications such as inflammation or poorly healing wounds. You can still buy verbena tea and oil in drugstores and pharmacies today, these natural remedies being made from the herb of the native vervain (Verbena officinalis). However, the hybrid forms available in nurseries are purely ornamental plants and not suitable for medicinal purposes.

    In principle, verbena - no matter what type and variety it is - is not poisonous, the herb can even be eaten and the flowers can be used to decorate summer salads and desserts. But be careful: As with so many things, the dose makes the poison. With verbenaline, the pretty flowers contain a glycoside that is only harmful in high doses, which is why you should only enjoy the slightly bitter-tasting parts of the plant in small amounts.

    Which location is suitable?

    Plant the verbena in a location that is as sunny and warm as possible, and they will bloom particularly luxuriantly and for a long time. A south-facing location is ideal, especially on the balcony and terrace. Rain and wind don't bother the newer hybrid varieties, at least, and hot locations are also well tolerated. This sun-loving flower is only not suitable for shady places and therefore produces little or no flowers in locations that are too dark.
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    floor

    With regard to the optimal soil conditions, however, verbena are not particularly demanding. The flowers feel most comfortable in a humus-rich and nutrient-rich, fresh to moist, but well-drained and at best slightly acidic soil. For balcony and other container plantings, a high-quality, compost-based potting soil is sufficient.

    pot culture

    Verbena are ideal for pot culture, after all, many of the newer hybrid varieties have been bred specifically for keeping on balconies and terraces. Make sure you have good pot drainage - clay granules or perlite in the substrate and a drainage hole at the bottom of the pot ensure this - and a regular supply of water and fertilizer. Verbena blooms particularly lavishly in warm and sunny locations, which is why a south-facing balcony is ideal for these flowers.

    Prefer

    You don't have to buy the pretty verbena every year, you can multiply them again and again from the seeds yourself. For the summer flowering, pull the flowers forward from February, whereby you must first break the germination inhibition - verbena are cold germs and must therefore be kept in the refrigerator for a period of about four weeks. And this is how you pull the little plants out of the seeds:

    • Spread the seeds out on a slightly damp surface (e.g. conventional kitchen paper).
    • Roll up the underlay and put in the fridge for about four weeks
    • Always keep the paper and seeds slightly moist
    • Seeds must be kept cool but not exposed to temperatures below 0°C
    • Now plant the seeds or seedlings in small pots or in a bowl with growing substrate.
    • Now grow the seedlings in cool temperatures between 10 and 15 °C until they can finally be planted out from mid to late May and can be used to rising temperatures.

    It is easier if you sow the seeds in a cold frame in the fall and prefer them there. However, make sure that the moisture remains constant and prick out the young plants in good time.

    Plant verbena correctly

    Always plant the verbena in excavation enriched with mature compost, while potted plants should be planted in fresh potting soil. Mix this with clay granules and lay a drainage layer of expanded clay (€19.73) on the bottom of the pot. After planting, the root area should be mulched - for example with a mixture of bark mulch and compost - to keep the moisture in the soil longer and to protect the flowers from drying out.

    What is the best planting time?

    In principle, let verbena be planted throughout the season, but you should only put the mostly sensitive flowers outdoors towards the end of May. Many species and varieties are very sensitive to frost and should therefore not be exposed to late frosts.

    The right planting distance

    Depending on the species and growth habit, verbena require a planting distance of between 25 and 50 centimetres. The permanent bloomers are best planted in dense tuffs, where they soon form dense carpets of flowers.

    Pour verbena

    The perpetually flowering verbena needs a lot of water, so the soil should never dry out completely. Regular watering is therefore useful for potted flowers and also for planted specimens during warm and dry phases. At the same time, however, the plant does not tolerate waterlogging, so the soil should always be moderately moist, but never dripping wet. Verbena in the bed are also mulched with bark, lawn clippings and/or compost so that the soil does not dry out on hot days.

    Fertilize verbena properly

    Verbena are not only extremely thirsty, they also have high nutritional requirements. From April onwards, provide specimens cultivated in planters with a liquid fertilizer for flowering plants once a week; flowers that have been planted out, on the other hand, receive organic compost fertilizer once a month or, alternatively, are also supplied with commercially available flowering plant fertilizer. When planting, it also makes sense to enrich the excavation with compost and horn shavings or horse manure.

    Cut verbena correctly

    Since verbena are usually cultivated as an annual, pruning is not necessary. Only the withered umbels should be cleaned out regularly to encourage the plant to form new flower balls again and again.
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    propagate verbena

    Verbena can be propagated using self-collected or purchased seeds, although this project is somewhat time-consuming due to the necessary cold stimulus. The propagation of cuttings is also not uncomplicated, after all, the top cuttings cut in August must be overwintered in a cool, but light and frost-free place. Only next spring do you plant the vegetatively propagated verbena in planters or in the bed.
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    hibernate

    Some types of verbena are annual anyway and die off after the seeds have ripened. Others, on the other hand, are basically perennials, but must be wintered frost-free and bright - only a few verbena, such as the native vervain, are frost-hardy and can remain outside over the winter. On the other hand, the lush flowering hybrid varieties usually available in garden centers need a lot of heat and must not be cultivated at temperatures below 0 °C. It is often not worth hibernating these over the winter, as over-year-old plants are often quite lazy to bloom. It is better to just cut cuttings and overwinter them.
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    diseases and pests

    Since verbena prefer warm locations, they often have to contend with spider mites (also: red spider), whiteflies or aphids, especially when it is too dry. Here it helps to keep the flowers evenly moist and, if necessary, to spray them occasionally with a fine atomizer. Planted specimens must be protected from snails, for example with a barrier, mulching with sawdust or straw or spreading slug pellets. Furthermore, socializing with plants that snails don’t particularly like, such as carnations, geraniums, phlox, poppies, asters or begonias, helps.

    Some verbena varieties are also quite susceptible to powdery mildew, which often occurs in warm and sunny locations. However, many of the newer breeds have already been bred for resistance. Yellow leaves, on the other hand, are often an indication of a nutrient deficiency, which occurs primarily on soil that is too calcareous and which you can eliminate with an iron fertilizer.

    Verbena not blooming, what to do?

    If verbenas do not want to flower, they are either too dark or they are not being fertilized sufficiently. The continuous flowering between May and October costs the plant a lot of energy, which is why it has a high water and nutrient requirement. Potted plants, in particular, need to be continuously supplied with a good, balanced flowering plant fertilizer from April and throughout the growing season.

    tips

    The tall varieties in particular are very suitable as cut flowers for the vase. You can even dry them and use them to make pretty dried bouquets. Verbena intended for use as cut flowers is best cut before the buds have fully opened. Put the vase with the flowers in a bright place and change the water every day, then you can enjoy the splendor for longer.

    species and varieties

    There are thousands of different varieties of verbena, the flowers and growth forms of which are very different. The color spectrum is huge, and there are also many two- and multi-colored variants. The flowers can also be single or double, with or without a scalloped or ruffled edge.

    Under no circumstances should you confuse the popular balcony and bed flower with the lemon verbena or verbena (Aloysia citrodora), which is also known as the lemon shrub. Although this species also belongs to the verbena plant family, it is not one of the iron herbs. In contrast to these, the lemon verbena contains an essential oil that tastes intensely of lemon and is therefore often used for teas and perfumes.

    The most beautiful verbs for balconies and beds:

    • 'Scarlet': scarlet flower, drooping shoots
    • 'Starfight': bicolored, pink flowers with a white border, pendent stems
    • 'Tapien': violet flowers, hanging shoots
    • 'Peaches & Cream': gradient peachy blooms
    • 'Lila Luzi': two-tone, blue flowers with a star-shaped white center, compact habit
    • 'Bright Rose': pink flower

    Also very attractive is the so-called lance vervain (Verbena hastata) with its brightly colored blossom candles in red or violet. These varieties are about 100 to 120 centimeters high. With a growth height of up to 150 centimetres, the Patagonian vervain (Verbena bonariensis) is also very tall. The species forms large, blue to blue-violet flower balls.

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Indoor plants