Verbena is a fabulous choice for low, wide coverage in dazzling, bright colors. Verbena is a perennial down to USDA zone 6. It’s very short lived, though, so even if it can survive the winter in your area, it will have to be replaced every two or three years. Many gardeners in colder climates simply treat it as an annual, since it flowers very quickly and vigorously even in its first year of growth. So if you’re going to plant verbena, what are some good verbena companion plants? Keep reading to learn more about what to plant with verbena.
Verbena Companion Plants
Companion planting can be based on a few things. One major reason to place certain plants near each other is pest management. Some plants naturally repel certain pests or attract their natural predators. These are best grown near other plants that tend to suffer from those pests. Verbena, especially if it is unhealthy or neglected, can often fall prey to spider mites and thrips. Some good companion plants for verbena that repel spider mites are dill, cilantro, and garlic. If you want to stick to flowers in your flower bed, however, mums and shasta daisies are also good verbena companions because of their ability to drive spider mites away and draw in their predators. Basil is said to deter thrips.
What to Plant with Verbena
Beyond pest management, another important thing to consider when picking companion plants for verbena is growing conditions. Verbena thrives in hot, sunny, dry weather. If it’s exposed to too much shade or water, it can easily fall prey to powdery mildew. It is because of this, the best verbena companions are those that also like it hot, sunny, and dry. Also, keep color and height in mind when picking companion plants for verbena. Depending upon variety, verbena comes in shades of white, pink, red, purple, and blue. It never tends to get more than a foot (31 cm.) high. Choosing a color palate for your garden is really up to your own taste, but some flowers that pair well with verbena include marigolds, nasturtiums, and zinnias.
-
Why Green Spaces Are Important – And How To Create One In Your Local CommunityIf you live in a town or city and don’t have a big yard, look beyond your back door. We explore why green spaces are important – and how to make more of yours
-
Grow A Container Winter Wonderland: 7 Best Winter Flowers For Pots With Cool-Season CheerContainers don’t need to go into hibernation in colder months – there’s still plenty of floral life to be enjoyed! We round up some of the very best winter flowers for pots
-
Trailing Verbena Care: Tips For Growing Trailing VerbenasLearn more about trailing verbena plants to determine whether or not this flowering annual is ideal for your flower border.
-
Rose Verbena Care: How To Grow A Rose Verbena PlantRose verbena (Glandularia canadensis) is a hardy plant that with very little effort on your part, produces aromatic, rosy pink or purple blooms from late spring to late summer. Interested in growing rose verbena in your garden this year? Click here to learn how.
-
Groundcover Verbena Varieties – Can You Use Verbena For GroundcoverDelicate and pretty, verbena plants make a great groundcover, especially if you need to fill an empty space quickly.
-
Growing Verbena Plants – Getting To Know Verbena Plant VarietiesVerbena is a popular plant for flower beds, but there are so many different types of verbena, all with varying properties and appearances. To make this great plant a part of your garden, learn more about the different kinds of verbena in this article.
-
Verbena Plant Information: Are Verbena And Lemon Verbena The Same ThingYou may have used lemon verbena in the kitchen and seen a plant labeled 'verbena' in a garden center. You may have encountered the essential oil known as 'lemon verbena' or 'verbena oil.' So are verbena and lemon verbena the same? Find out here.
-
Verbena Seed Germination: How To Grow Verbena From SeedVerbena seed germination times depend upon the variety, so don't get discouraged. However, knowing how to grow verbena from seed will greatly improve the chances of sprouting. This article can help with that.
-
Verbena Seed Harvest: Learn How To Collect Verbena SeedsThere is a trick on how to collect verbena seeds so they are just ripe but have not released from the pods. Knowing the right time for verbena seed harvest will save you some frustration later on and help ensure germination. Learn more in this article.
-
Is Verbena Annual Or Perennial: Perennial And Annual Verbena VarietiesTrailing verbenas are a common sight in annual hanging baskets, yet many gardeners wonder is verbena annual or perennial? It is both actually. Click the following article to learn about annual vs. perennial verbena varieties.
