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Verbena x hybrida

Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
ver-BEE-nah BY HYE-brid-ah
Description

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:
  • 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, 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:
#hummingbird friendly#full sun tolerant#drought tolerant#salmon#white flowers#pink flowers#orange flowers#apvg#fall interest#summer flowers#spring interest#pollinator plant#fantz#apvg-a#partial shade tolerant#annual#cpp#hs111
 
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, 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:
#hummingbird friendly#full sun tolerant#drought tolerant#salmon#white flowers#pink flowers#orange flowers#apvg#fall interest#summer flowers#spring interest#pollinator plant#fantz#apvg-a#partial shade tolerant#annual#cpp#hs111
  • 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.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Annual
    Habit/Form:
    Erect
    Mounding
    Spreading
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Maintenance:
    Medium
    Texture:
    Fine
  • 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
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Type:
    Capsule
  • 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
  • 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.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Green
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Cross Section:
    Square
    Stem Form:
    Straight
    Stem Description:
    Erect to decumbent green stems
  • 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