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Are Verbena Perennials or Annuals? [Gardening Ideas]

Get a vibe of annuals and perennials from the Verbena species that shows variants in its growth pattern depending upon the zones and type.

Generally, Verbena growing in the USDA zone 7-11, like Homestead Purple and Abbeville, are perennials that continue their lifecycle year after year. Meanwhile, Verbena species growing in cooler climates, like Obsession Series and Moss Verbena, represent annual plants.

Learn more about the Verbena varieties that you can grow as annual and perennial plants categorically. 

Where Does Verbena Grow Best?

As a native of Asia and America, Verbena species thrives best in moist conditions, with temperatures ranging between 68ºF and 72ºF.

Verbena plants are cold-hardy in the USDA zone 7-11 and bloom in the year of planting and extend as an upright or trailing variety with a lifespan of 2-3 years for perennial type.

Meanwhile, the annual Verbena grows best in cold hardy zone 3-6, where they wither down after the first bloom.

However, the Verbena species are easy-to-handle flowering plants best for the novice gardener that can do well even with little care.

verbena flowers in pot
The small Verbena plants do great in containers.

Remember to place the Verbena under 10 hours of daily sun and well-draining soil with regular compost amendments for vibrant growth.

Keep the watering weekly during spring, slow-releasing fertilizer monthly, and see your Verbena grow even in the most challenging conditions.

Verbena As Annual

The significant identifying quality of Verbena as annual is by looking at the growth pattern and the extended length.

Verbenas that are small (up to 1.5 feet) and show bushy growth instead of trailing are short-lived annuals with a long bloom season starting from spring to frost.

Mainly the cultivars in the species Glandularia x hybrida are annuals with single-season bloom, which has been encouraged to bloom as soon as planted for the entire year.

Look at the list below to know the annual Verbena species, providing blooms of vibrant color ranging from white, pink, and purple to red.

  • Obsession Series
  • Lanai Royal Purple
  • Romance Series
  • Quartz Series
  • Peaches and Cream
  • Novalis Series

The annual Verbena also includes short-lived perennials like Moss Verbena.

Some Verbena species under Moss include Taipen Series, Babylon Series, Sissinghurst, and Edith.

Verbena As Perennial

Naturally, Verbena is a perennial that sheds its seeds after completing its life cycle for the year or leaves the bulbs in the soil to return the following year.

The perennial Verbena shows upright to trailing and tall growth to discern it from the annual cultivars, attaining a height of up to 6 feet while the ground cover reaches a length no more than 12 inches with a short lifespan.

However, Verbena’s perennial quality is rare as annuals have already taken over the gardens, but the heirloom gardeners hold on to the perennial species.

Here is a list of perennial addition for your garden that will rebloom each year during the early summer and last till fall.

  • Homestead Purple
  • Purpletop Vervain
  • Rough Verbena
  • Tuberous Vervain
  • Summer Blaze
  • Abbeville
  • Texas Rose
  • Silver Anne
  • Blue Vervain

From Editorial Team

Extra Tips!

Annual Verbenas is best if grown in containers, hanging baskets, or window boxes instead of ground in a temperate region.

Meanwhile, in the blooming season, deadhead Verbena flowers to get a new flush that works for both annual and perennial species.

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