Elizabeth is a Permaculture Garden Designer, Sustainability Consultant and Professional Writer, working as an advocate for positive change. She graduated from the University of St. Andrews with an MA in English and Philosophy and obtained a Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design from the Permaculture Association.
Reviewed By COLIN SKELLY
Colin is a Horticulturist and Horticultural Consultant with experience in a range of practical and managerial roles across heritage, commercial and public horticulture. He holds the Royal Horticultural Society’s Master of Horticulture award and has a particular interest in horticultural ecology and naturalistic planting for habitat and climate resilience.
IN THIS GUIDE
- 1) Aloysia triphylla
- 2) V. bonariensis ‘Buenos Aires’
- 3) V. bonariensis ‘Lollipop’
- 4) V. ‘Claret’
- 5) Glandularia ‘Endurascape Pink Bicolor’
- 6) V. hastata
- 7) V. hastata ‘Rosea’
- 8) V. hastata ‘White Spires’
- 9) V. ‘Lawrence Johnston’
- 10) V. macdougalii ‘Lavender Spires’
- 11) V. officinalis
- 12) V. officinalis var. grandiflora ‘Bampton’
- 13) V. ‘Peaches ‘n’ Cream’
- 14) V. rigida
- 15) V. rigida f. lilacina ‘Polaris’
- References
Verbenas can be wonderful flowering plants to add to a wide range of different gardens and settings.
The biggest challenge can be deciding which of the many wonderful different types and varieties to grow.
Some types are more tender and are perfect for pots, hanging baskets or summer bedding, whilst others are somewhat hardier and perennial.
Within both of these categories, here are some of the different Verbena varieties that you might grow.
Keep in mind that all of these varieties grow best in full sun.
1) Aloysia triphylla
- COMMON NAME(S): lemon verbena
- HARDINESS RATING: H3
- FLOWERS: purple and white
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer
- SIZE: 1.5-2.5m in height, 1.5-2.5m spread
Though not within the Verbena or the Glandularia genus like the other verbena on this list, lemon verbena is one plant that is well worth considering for home growing.
This is a deciduous sub-shrub, which has leaves with a strong lemon scent.
It also bears panicles of tiny white or pale lilac blooms in the summer.
Although it is only H3 hardy, it can be grown in full sun in a sheltered spot outdoors in milder areas or cultivated indoors or in a greenhouse or polytunnel in colder areas.
This could also be a good addition to an edible garden, as the leaves are commonly used as a pot herb or to make tea.1Lemon verbena: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews. (n.d.). WebMD. Retrieved March 27, 2023, from https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-632/lemon-verbena
“Lemon Verbena makes a great plant for making refreshing tea,” shares Horticulturist and Garden Consultant Colin Skelly.
“Only half hardy, it is best grown in a pot or container and brought under cover in the winter months. It can be pruned back to manage the size.”
2) V. bonariensis ‘Buenos Aires’
- COMMON NAME(S): purple top
- HARDINESS RATING: H4
- FLOWERS: purple
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn
- SIZE: 1.5-2.5m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread
Also known as purple top or tall verbena, this is one of the most popular varieties to grow in UK gardens.
It is not only loved by gardeners, but also by bees and other pollinators.
It bears branched groups of small purple flowers through summer and often into early autumn.
This tall perennial grows up to around 2m in height with a spread of up to 50cm.
It likes moist but well-drained soil and is H4 hardy.
3) V. bonariensis ‘Lollipop’
- COMMON NAME(S): purple top ‘lollipop’
- HARDINESS RATING: H4
- FLOWERS: purple
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn
- SIZE: 0.1-0.5m in height, 0.5-1m spread
If you like the above but don’t have the space to grow it in your garden, this dwarf cultivar is a good one to consider.
It grows to only around 60cm tall with a similar spread and also bears groups of small, purple flowers in the summer and into autumn.
This option is also H4 hardy.
4) V. ‘Claret’
- COMMON NAME(S): vervain ‘claret’
- HARDINESS RATING: H3
- FLOWERS: red
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn
- SIZE: 0.1-0.5m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread
Technically a glandularia but often referred to as verbena, this cultivar has deep, velvety flowers with a reddish-pink hue, set against deep green foliage.
It blooms through summer and into the autumn too.
Although it is only H3 hardy and won’t overwinter outside in most parts of the UK, it is great for container growing, with a height and spread of less than 50cm.
5) Glandularia ‘Endurascape Pink Bicolor’
- COMMON NAME(S): vervain ‘endurascape pink bicolor’
- HARDINESS RATING: H3
- FLOWERS: pink
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn
- SIZE: 0.1-0.5m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread
Another glandularia, ‘Endurascape Pink Bicolor’ is a semi-evergreen perennial which is often grown as an annual.
It grows around 30cm tall with a similar spread.
The flowers are small, with deep pink centres and lighter pink edges, and are held in clusters which grow up to around 5cm across.
This option is also H3 hardy.
6) V. hastata
- COMMON NAME(S): american blue vervain
- HARDINESS RATING: H5
- FLOWERS: purple
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn
- SIZE: 1-1.5m in height, 0.5-1m spread
Also known as American blue vervain, this is a clump-forming perennial which grows to around 1-1.5m tall with a spread of 0.5-1m.
It has narrow leaves and spikes of small violet-blue to pinkish-purple flowers which bloom in branched stems resembling a candelabra between early summer and early autumn.
This variety is H5 hardy.
7) V. hastata ‘Rosea’
- COMMON NAME(S): verbena hastata ‘rosea’
- HARDINESS RATING: H5
- FLOWERS: pink
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn
- SIZE: 1-1.5m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread
This is a pink flowered cultivar of the above, with a similar height and spread and the same characteristics.
It could be a wonderful choice if you want to tie it in with other pink flowers or a pink planting scheme in your garden.
8) V. hastata ‘White Spires’
- COMMON NAME(S): vervain ‘white spires’
- HARDINESS RATING: H5
- FLOWERS: white
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn
- SIZE: 1-1.5m in height, 0.5-1m spread
Likewise, if you want a plant with the characteristics of Verbena hastata but are looking for white flowers, then this is the option to choose.
The small white flowers are also long-lasting with this cultivar and bloom throughout the summer and into early autumn.
9) V. ‘Lawrence Johnston’
- COMMON NAME(S): vervain ‘lawrence johnston’
- HARDINESS RATING: H3
- FLOWERS: red
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn
- SIZE: 0.1-0.5m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread
This half-hardy perennial grows to around 45cm tall and bears bright red flowers around 1cm in diameter in clusters through the summer and into early autumn.
This plant will look great in a well-drained border in full sun but is also a great choice for container growing in loam-based compost.
It will overwinter if moved into a greenhouse or another sheltered spot over the coldest months.
10) V. macdougalii ‘Lavender Spires’
- COMMON NAME(S): mountain blue vervain ‘lavender spires’
- HARDINESS RATING: H5
- FLOWERS: purple
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn
- SIZE: 1.5-2.5m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread
Also known as mountain blue vervain, this is a perennial which grows to around 1.8m in height.
It has rough, narrow leaves and bears branching stems which hold small lavender-hued flowers from the middle of summer into autumn.
It is pretty drought tolerant and is H5 hardy.
11) V. officinalis
- COMMON NAME(S): common vervain
- HARDINESS RATING: H5
- FLOWERS: purple
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer
- SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread
This lovely plant is a native perennial and is also known as common vervain or common verbena.
In the late summer, it produces wiry flowering stems which bear numerous tiny flowers with a pale purply-pink colour.
This wildflower is well known for attracting wildlife and is a low-maintenance choice for many gardens.
12) V. officinalis var. grandiflora ‘Bampton’
- COMMON NAME(S): vervain ‘bampton’
- HARDINESS RATING: H6
- FLOWERS: purple and pink
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn
- SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.5-1m spread
This cultivar of the above is also H6 hardy.
It is a bushy, upright perennial which bears short spikes of purplish-pink flowers from mid-summer to mid-autumn.
This ornamental option still shares many of the benefits of the above in terms of its hardiness and resilience.
13) V. ‘Peaches ‘n’ Cream’
- COMMON NAME(S): vervain ‘peaches ‘n’ cream’
- HARDINESS RATING: H3
- FLOWERS: cream, yellow, orange and pink
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn
- SIZE: 0.1-0.5m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread
This H3 hardy, bedding verbena performs well over a long period in summer and into autumn.
It is perennial but is often grown as an annual like other more tender verbenas.
It has neat, oblong-shaped leaves and bears flat heads of light, peachy, orange to pink flowers, which fade over time to a creamy yellow.
It is a compact plant, perfect for containers, which grows around 20cm tall and wide.
14) V. rigida
- COMMON NAME(S): slender vervain
- HARDINESS RATING: H3
- FLOWERS: purple
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer
- SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread
This tuberous perennial is also often grown as an annual.
It grows to around 60cm tall and bears clusters of fragrant flowers in a bright purple hue on branching stems in late summer.
This variety is H3 hardy.
15) V. rigida f. lilacina ‘Polaris’
- COMMON NAME(S): slender vervain ‘polaris’
- HARDINESS RATING: H3
- FLOWERS: purple
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer
- SIZE: 0.1-0.5m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread
This variant has a height and spread of less than 50cm and forms clumps of dense, stiff leaves.
In summer and often right through to the first frosts, it bears clusters of pale purple flowers on wiry stems.
Of course, there are many other verbena types and cultivars to consider growing in your garden.
However, when looking for a verbena variety to grow, the options listed above are a good place to start.
