Verbena x hybrida
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- ver-BEE-nah BY HYE-brid-ah
- Description
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Garden verbenas are hybrid plants in the Verbenaceae family generally grown as annuals. Several series of these hybrids have been developed including Obsession Twister series, Tuscany series, Superbena® series and Obsession Cascade series.
These plants can be mounding, trailing or upright in form. Plant in amended well-drained garden soil or a potting mix if using containers. Provide full sun for best flowering. They are fairly drought-tolerant once established. Deer will usually not browse the plants.
Garden verbenas come in a wide range of flower colors and will bloom all season if flowers are deadheaded. The 3-inch wide clusters consist of many small star-shaped flowers.
Use these plants in the garden border, in rock gardens, as a ground cover, in hanging baskets or window boxes.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: Some cultivars have shown good resistance to abiotic disorder and fair resistance to phytophthora and pythium root rot. Some cultivars have good mildew resistance. Overwatering can cause root rot.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcovers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Aztec® series
Mounding plants in shades of pink, red, purple and white - Lanai® Series
Trailing form with good disease resistance in multiple colors - Lascar™ Series
Mounding and trailing habit, early flowering, heat resistant in multiple colors - Magelana™ Series
Compact trailing habit, good flowering, multiple colors available - Meteor Shower® series
More compact and dense upright plants in multiple colors - Obsession® Cascade Series
Trailing habit, available from seed, disease resistant, multiple colors available - Obsession® Twister Series
Compact trailing habit, disease resistant, multiple colors available - Quartz XP Verbenas
Mounding spreading habit with strong long-lasting blooms in various colors - Superbena® Series
Mounding habit that becomes more spreading. Available in many colors - Superbena Sparkling® series
Two-toned colors in trailing plants - Tuscany® Series
Upright spreading habit, heat tolerant, larger flowers in many colors
- Aztec® series
- Aztec® series, Lanai® Series, Lascar™ Series, Magelana™ Series, Meteor Shower® series, Obsession® Cascade Series, Obsession® Twister Series, Quartz XP Verbenas, Superbena® Series, Superbena Sparkling® series, Tuscany® Series
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Aztec® series
Mounding plants in shades of pink, red, purple and white - Lanai® Series
Trailing form with good disease resistance in multiple colors - Lascar™ Series
Mounding and trailing habit, early flowering, heat resistant in multiple colors - Magelana™ Series
Compact trailing habit, good flowering, multiple colors available - Meteor Shower® series
More compact and dense upright plants in multiple colors - Obsession® Cascade Series
Trailing habit, available from seed, disease resistant, multiple colors available - Obsession® Twister Series
Compact trailing habit, disease resistant, multiple colors available - Quartz XP Verbenas
Mounding spreading habit with strong long-lasting blooms in various colors - Superbena® Series
Mounding habit that becomes more spreading. Available in many colors - Superbena Sparkling® series
Two-toned colors in trailing plants - Tuscany® Series
Upright spreading habit, heat tolerant, larger flowers in many colors
- Aztec® series
- Aztec® series, Lanai® Series, Lascar™ Series, Magelana™ Series, Meteor Shower® series, Obsession® Cascade Series, Obsession® Twister Series, Quartz XP Verbenas, Superbena® Series, Superbena Sparkling® series, Tuscany® Series
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Verbena
- Family:
- Verbenaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Some cultivars have shown good resistance to abiotic disorder.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Mounding
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
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Fruit:
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Gold/Yellow
- Pink
- Red/Burgundy
- Variegated
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Spike
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Small five-petaled flowers in rounded 3-inch clusters on the end of branches from late spring to fall. Inflorescence is a congested spike in flower, sessile, and flat-topped
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Rough
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblong
- Leaf Margin:
- Lobed
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 2-4 inch oblong toothed leaves are gray-green to dark green with a rough texture. Most are deeply lobed and some have a fine texture.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Square
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Description:
- Erect to decumbent green stems
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Hanging Baskets
- Patio
- Small Space
- Walkways
- Landscape Theme:
- Cottage Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Hummingbirds
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
