How to Grow Verbena
Verbena At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Flower
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Tender
Cold Hardiness
Survives to 2°C
Plant Family
Verbenaceae
Growing Season
Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Annual
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Verbena from seed is slow and fussy, so most gardeners start with young plants from a garden centre. Plant them out about 1 week after your last spring frost, 30 cm apart, in the hottest, sunniest spot you have. They flower within weeks and keep going until fall frost.
Garden verbena is a low, spreading flower that blooms all summer in clusters butterflies love, and it shrugs off heat and drought, which makes it great for hot beds, pots and hanging baskets. Its tall cousin, Verbena bonariensis, grows much the same way and often drops seed for next year.
When To Start
Verbena needs warmth. Wait until your last frost has passed and the soil has warmed before sowing.
We do not have exact sowing dates for this one yet.
When should you plant Verbena?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Verbena Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Verbena Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Plant verbena out in a hot, sunny spot after frost
1 week after your last frost· every year
Shear verbena back by a third to refresh the flowers
60 days after your last frost· every year· optional
Water your new verbena plants well while they settle in. Deep and slow is best.
About 1 days after you plant it
How is your verbena settling in? Give it full sun and water when the soil is dry.
About 30 days after you plant it
Checking in on your verbena. It loves heat and does fine with a bit of neglect.
About 90 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Verbena's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Growing Tips
- 1Give verbena full sun, at least 6 to 8 hours a day, in the hottest spot you have.
- 2Plant it in light soil that drains fast, with only a little compost, since rich, wet soil leads to rot.
- 3Let the soil dry out between waterings, and water at the base rather than over the leaves.
- 4Feed plants in pots with a splash of compost tea every 2 to 3 weeks, since potting mix runs out of food.
- 5Pinch the tips of young plants once to make them bushier.
- 6Space plants so air flows between them, which keeps powdery mildew (a white dust on the leaves) away.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
30 cm
Mature Height
45 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
When to Pick
Blooms all summer to frost; thrives on heat and a bit of neglect
How to Harvest
- 1Snip off faded flower clusters every week or so to keep new ones coming.
- 2If the plant gets leggy, shear it back by about a third, and new flowers follow in about 2 weeks.
- 3Cut a few stems for small vases, since the clusters last several days in water.
- 4In late summer, take cuttings if you want to keep a favourite variety indoors over winter.
- 5After frost kills the plants, pull them out and add them to the compost.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
Seed Production
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