How to Grow Verbena? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Cultivation Methods
Verbena is also known as grass five-color plum, creeping vervain, creeping ground brocade, four-season hydrangea, etc. It is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Verbena in the family Verbenaceae, native to South America. It can be used as flowerbed and flower border material, and can also be grown as potted flowers or planted in large areas in suitable spots for potted viewing or for arranging flower terraces, garden gaps, and tree beds. Now let us take a look at how to grow Verbena!
Growth Habits of Verbena
Verbena likes sunlight and does not tolerate shade. It is relatively cold-tolerant, poor in shade tolerance, and not drought-tolerant. In the north it is mostly cultivated as an annual herbaceous flower, and it can bloom normally in hot summers. It grows and blooms abundantly in sunny, loose, and fertile soil. It likes a warm and humid climate, likes sun, and is not drought-tolerant. It is not strict about soil requirements, but in loose, fertile, and relatively moist neutral soil it can root at each node, grow robustly, and bloom abundantly. In Shanghai, in areas with a relatively warm microclimate, it can overwinter outdoors.
Propagation Methods of Verbena
1. Sowing: Verbena seeds have a relatively low germination rate, only about 50%, and germination is very slow and uneven. At a temperature of 15-17°C, it takes 2-3 weeks before seedlings begin to emerge. Sowing is mostly done in spring. After the seeds are sown, they should be placed in a dark place. Not only should the soil be kept moist, but the air should also be kept humid. Watering must not be done by pouring directly from top to bottom. Instead, use a shallow pan or similar container with 3-4 cm of water, then immerse the flowerpot in it so that water enters through the drainage hole at the bottom, and take it out after the soil is moistened; otherwise, the germination rate will be even lower.
2. Cuttings: Verbena cuttings can be taken in May-June, when the temperature is around 15°C. First take slightly woody branches, cut them into 5-6 cm long sections as cuttings, and insert them into a moist sand bed. Immediately afterward, shade them. After 2-3 days, they can receive a little morning and evening sunlight to promote growth. After about two weeks, they can sprout new shoots and take root. When the seedlings grow 5-6 true leaves, transplant them, and when they grow to 7-8 cm, plant them in their final position.
Cultivation Methods of Verbena
1. Soil: Verbena is not strict about soil requirements, but in loose, fertile, and relatively moist neutral soil it can root at each node, grow robustly, and bloom abundantly.
2. Watering: Because Verbena has a relatively shallow root system, attention should be paid to watering in summer to prevent drought. During the maintenance period, too much or too little water is unfavorable to growth. If there is too much water, the stems become thin and weak and grow leggy, and the amount of blooming decreases. If there is a lack of water, the plant grows and develops poorly, and there may be premature seed setting.
3. Sunlight: Verbena needs to be maintained under shaded conditions in spring, summer, and autumn. When the temperature is relatively high, if it is placed in direct sunlight for maintenance, the leaves will noticeably become smaller, the internodes of the branches will shorten, the lower leaves will turn yellow and fall off, and growth will be very slow or it will enter a semi-dormant state.
4. Temperature: Verbena likes a warm climate and avoids intense heat. When the summer temperature is above 34°C, growth is noticeably poor. It is not tolerant of frost and cold, and when the winter temperature is below 4°C, it enters dormancy or dies. The most suitable growth temperature is 15-25°C. Generally, sowing is done in autumn and winter to avoid high summer temperatures.
5. Fertilizing: Like other herbaceous flowers, Verbena has a relatively high demand for fertilizer and water, but the fertilization (and watering) principle of “light fertilizer applied frequently, small amounts with more frequent applications, and complete nutrition” should be followed, and after fertilizing, the leaves and flowers should be kept dry at night.
6. Pruning: Before Verbena blooms, it is generally pinched back twice to encourage more flowering branches to sprout.