Moss verbena has purple flowers that bloom spring to summer on light soils along road shoulders or in waste areas. Press them onto the surface of the growing mix, and then cover them with a 1/16-inch-thick layer of soil. Gooding’s Verbena and others are great at attracting butterflies. Small clusters of violet or pink flowers will appear among its fern-like leaves. If flowers are slow to emerge cut the plant back by about a fourth, fertilize lightly and water. Since Moss Verbena can look a little ragged in the summer, it is most effective when mixed with more evergreen plants or treated as a spring annual. Fill individual 3-inch starter pots with a mix of three parts sterile potting soil and one part coarse sand. The rigid, narrow leaves have a distinctive sandpapery texture, and are much larger than other common verbenas. In colder climates, treat as an annual. This species is very low-growing, only 4 to 8 inches tall, and spreads 2 to 5 feet across. Moss verbena, also known as South American mock vervain, is an introduced perennial from South America. Moss Verbena seeds can be started directly outdoors, and this plant that can be grown as a perennial in USDA zones 7-11 or as an annual elsewhere. Photo: Kirti Mathura. They do well in xeriscape gardens. The spreading types of verbena are charming as they cascade out of a container or hanging basket, or down a wall. These are usually grown in hanging pots and window boxes where they can ‘trail’ out of the container, as well as near the edge of walls in order to cover it as it grows. While established verbenas are drought tolerant, performance, bloom, and growth rate will be reduced if they are too dry for a long period. Note: Featured photo, upper right by Kirti Mathura. In the spring season, they are set out after fertilization once a year. Warm the bottom of the pots with a germination mat. After that, you will only need to water them when the soil is dry. Oct 25, 2013 - Explore Lindsey Johnson's board "Texas Native Yardscape" on Pinterest. It is growing in much improved clay based soil (lots of compost, some lavasand, greensand and is mulched well with cedar. Since Moss Verbena can look a little ragged in the summer, it is most effective when mixed with more evergreen plants or treated as a spring annual. This variety is very easy to establish from its seeds, and it provides nectar for honeybees and butterflies. This feature is based on a concept and text originally developed jointly by the Arizona Nursery Association and the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association (AMWUA) with partial funding from the Arizona Department of Water Resources. Verbena looks just as good weaving through garden beds as it does spilling from pots, window boxes, and hanging baskets. Purple Moss Verbena is a spreading, tender perennial with lovely, fern-like foliage and purple flowers. Broadcast the Moss Verbena ground cover seeds in prepared soil that is weed free. MOSS VERBENA IS A LOW GROWING, CREEPING PERENNIAL IN ZONE 6-11 AND GROWN AS AN ANNUAL IN OTHER ZONES. Because of its underground stems (rhizomes), Sandpaper Verbena can recover from severe freezes, and is a good choice for colder locations. During their blooming period, give them a thorough watering once a week if they do not receive an inch of rain that week. Though it is semi-hardy, verbena is mostly treated as an annual plant. Leave the top 1/2-inch of each pot empty. This verbena is native to Arizona and other parts of the southwest. The lifespan of this species is generally limited to two or three years. The cold temperatures actually help to break the dormancy of the seed, so when spring temperatures warm, the Verbena seeds are ready to germinate. Even flowers that are drooping but aren’t already spent should be removed. Soil: Very well drained, dry, low to moderate organic content, pH 6.1-7.8 (slightly acidic to slightly alkaline). Well-drained and rocky or sandy soils are preferred. continued to pruning deadhead and faded blooms so that they were blooming in the growing season for a long time. However, some species can re-seed and naturalize in the garden. Water regularly and thoroughly until your Verbenas are well established. Feed once, in the spring when the plants are about 6" tall, using a good, all-purpose liquid fertilizer. Start moss verbena seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the last spring frost. Photo: Noelle Johnson, AZ Plant Lady. It is long-blooming and makes a great ground-cover. It is recommended to sow Moss Verbena seeds directly outdoors in the late fall. Why do we bring all this up? Regularly pruning the plant encourages flowers throughout the summer. However, when purchasing at a landscape nursery, you will most often find these plants sold under the old name of “Verbena.” All this comes down to explaining why we will list the currently accepted scientific name for these plants, but will fall back to the ‘verbena’ nomenclature when referring to the common name. Trailing verbena, blue vervain (verbena hastata), rigid verbena and moss verbena have all become naturalized in some warmer parts of the US. Fall verbena care is focused on getting the plant ready for the coming winter and involves deadheading. The plant has a low growing and sprawling habit and forms … Moss verbena grows well from seeds, which germinate reliably when exposed to warm temperatures. This is a good time to pinch the tips lightly to induce bushiness. Samantha McMullen began writing professionally in 2001. moss verbena alocasia cucullata isabella brug yellow noid brug orange noid brug white noid brug yellow noid daffodils turk's cap (red) illustrus ee salvia cocinea Lady in red wants: Rose cuttings all kinds (I have finally learned to successfully root roses) quince fig trees heirloom tomato plants pink turk's cap white turk's cap It can be grown as an annual outside of its growing range. The common name is like a nickname, and in that way, there can be many different common names used by many different people – which is what can cause confusion. Needless to say, trailing verbenas require proper maintenance and periodic pruning to keep the vines in shape. Thin out the smaller and weaker of the two moss verbena seedlings from each pot, if both of the seeds successfully germinate. Pruning. It’s a great way to make sure we are comparing apples to apples (that would be Malus pumila to Malus pumila). Water verbena plants at the base to avoid wetting the foliage. Verbena Plant Care While the verbena flower is drought resistant, the blooms are improved with regular watering of an inch or so each week. Choosing and Planting Low Water-Use Plants, Arizona Municipal Water Users Association, Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert plant database. The foliage is light green, deeply lobed, and covered with white hairs. Acclimate the plants to direct sun for a few days before transplanting them into the garden. It receives around six hours of sun a day and is watered only every five to nine days, I don’t water until the plants need it. The University of Alaska Fairbanks: Georgeson Botanical Garden -- Seed Starting Dates for Annual Flowers and Perennials Grown as Annuals at the Georgeson Botanical Garden, North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension: Horticulture Information Leaflets -- Starting Plants from Seeds, How to Sow the Seed of a Bat-Faced Cuphea Flower. Masses of lavender flowers provide spectacular springtime color, and contrast well with yellow flowering perennials. Verbena Care Tips Verbena flowers in the first year, if the growing conditions are favorable. Did you know that up to 70 percent of water use is outdoors? Due to scientists always working on explaining the natural world, and because of advances in botanical knowledge, sometimes plants are reclassified into a different group and that’s when the ‘reliable’ scientific name may change. Plus there's a lot of variety. Of course, we also use common names for plants. A native to South America, moss verbena will bloom all spring and summer, making it useful as a ground cover. Moss Verbena is thought to be the best performing Glandularia species for the Phoenix area. Set the temperature on the mat to between 70 and 75 F. Check the moisture level in the soil mixture twice daily. Verbena is generally referred to as long blooming. Avoid overhead watering. Verbenas are short-lived, so you should anticipate replacing them after two or three years. These plants prefer growing in sunny locations and in well-drained soil. Verbena bonariensis is a unique plant loved by fans of prairie-style planting and by butterflies and pollinators. Although the seeds require no pretreatment and little hands-on care to germinate, the growing medium must be kept slightly dry after sowing to prevent potentially damaging fungal infections and bacterial growth. PERFECT FOR ROADSIDE PLANTINGS AND RECLAMTION AND CAN FILL BARE SPOTS IN YOUR YARD QUICKLY. All verbenas benefit significantly from regular deadheading. It’s still a great time to plant non-tropical plants in your landscape, and you can learn more about verbenas (Glandularia species) and other plants on our Arizona Low-Water-Use Plants page. Moisten the growing mix and allow it to drain. Besides providing a tranquil and lush environment, moss highlights even the smallest of plants. Increase watering slightly after germination. It wants at least six hours of sunlight a day, prefers well-drained soil but isn’t picky about the quality of the soil, and needs about an inch of rain a week. Visit our page on Choosing and Planting Low Water-Use Plants for tips on plant selection and how to plant properly. They have been reclassified into the genus, Glandularia. Gently firm the soil to anchor the seeds and mist with water. Transplant the moss verbena seedlings into a permanent bed once they produce at least one pair of true leaves. I have Blue Princess Verbena growing along my front walk. Soggy plants will succumb to botrytis blight, but drought-stressed plants will attract spider mites. Discard the seeds that float and sow those that sink. They bear clusters of bright purple flowers … How to Germinate Seeded True Lavender Indoors? Glandularia gooddingii or Goodding’s Verbena. The beauty of scientific names is that it provides us with an international code to talk about a particular plant, not only with each other, but with others throughout the world. The Purple Moss is one of the best ground covering flowers around! That’s why we love desert plants and feature them each month. Her nearly 20 years of experience in horticulture informs her work, which has appeared in publications such as Mother Earth News. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Moss verbena is known by the synonymous botanical names Glandularia pulchella and Verbena erinoides. Watch for the first signs of sprouting in two to four weeks. Posted by plantladylin (Sebastian, Florida - Zone 10a) on Feb 17, 2013 6:08 PM. Sow two moss verbena seeds in each starter pot. See more ideas about Xeriscape, Texas native plants, Landscape design. Keep plants evenly moist until established, when they can tolerate some dry spells. Choose a sunny planting site with loamy, draining soil. It thrives within U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9B to 11, where it is widely planted as a ground cover or container plant. Uses. Sun: Part shade in regions where temperatures go above 85°F. Find help & information on Verbena tenuisecta moss verbena from the RHS However, verbena plant care may not include weekly water if … Water after becoming established: Monthly, except weekly in a mostly sunny location when temperatures are above 85°F. It can reach heights up to 12-inches tall. Fertilize Verbena twice per month with Watters Flower Power when in bloom. Drizzle water around the base of the moss verbena seedlings before the soil surface dries out completely. Soak the seeds in a bowl of water for an hour or two to determine which are viable. The Purple Moss Verbena blooms all summer long with violet or purple flowers on spreading plants that has a fern-like and attractive foliage. Blooming throughout the summer and into fall, it is highly attractive to butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Irrigation can be reduced after the plants have finished blooming. It requires supplemental water to make it through the hot summer months. If this plant starts to look ragged, simply cut the foliage back to the ground and fresh growth will sprout from the underground stems. IRISH MOSS SEEDS, Sagina subulata, Heath Pearlwort, Perfect In Garden, Lawn Substitue or In-Between Stones, Groundcover Heath Pearlwort, Zones 4-10 - By MySeeds.Co (10000 … Newer cultivars boast even better flower production and a broader array of color options than ever before. Most bear clusters of small, five- … Verbenas are perennial groundcovers that can provide spectacular splashes of color and interest to the landscape from spring into summer. See this plant in the following landscape: Move the moss verbena seedlings outdoors once nighttime temperatures stay reliably above 55 F. Place the pots in a sheltered area out of direct sunlight. This large group includes some of the garden's most colorful, useful, and easy-to-grow plants. This low-care buckwheat is more moisture tolerant than most and can be grown across much of the US when planted in full sun and well drained soils. All verbena needs to grow in full sun to light shade in well-draining soil. This is the case for Verbenas. The tall stiff stems tower gracefully above many other companion plants, growing up to 2m. The deep purple flowers of Sandpaper Verbena mix well with soft, silky grasses that flop. Growing Low-Maintenance Moss Once established, moss requires no watering, no mowing, no fertilizing and no weeding. Moss Verbena. This species is thought to be the best verbena species for the Phoenix area. Those requirements are not unusual for most annuals, but unlike other, tougher plants, verbena does not recover well from lapses in care. Before we start talking about these beautiful groundcovers, we want to briefly discuss plant names with you. Glandularia pulchella is native to South America (Brazil and Argentina), and thrives in semi-shaded or filtered sun locations in our desert climate. The botanical name given to plants is often referred to as the “scientific name” or “Latin name.” Each plant has a name made up of two parts, a generic (or genus) name and a specific epithet (or species) name. Verbena is somewhat drought tolerant, and it certainly does not do well in boggy conditions, but you must not underwater it either. The foliage is dark green and fine-textured. Mist the seeds with a spray bottle until the growing mixture feels moderately moist in the top 1/4-inch. Plant Details. The lifespan of this species is generally limited to two or three years. Soggy plants will succumb to botrytis blight, but drought-stressed plants will attract spider mites. Moss verbena grows well from seeds, which germinate reliably when exposed to warm temperatures. It requires supplemental water to make it through the hot summer months. Growing lemon verbena in a container is an ideal way to cultivate the plant all year in colder regions, Container-grown lemon verbena also stays a more manageable size than plants grown in the ground. While native to Brazil and Argentina, this plant has naturalized across the Midwestern and southeastern United States. Blue vervain (Verbena hastata) is hardy in zones 3-8 and native to the U.S. How Long Does Verbena Last in the Garden? It requires little water and full sun. If you grow it in perennials in your … Avoid getting water on the seedling since excess moisture on the leaves increases the likelihood of fungal infection. During their blooming period, weekly watering helps produce glorious flower displays. You should directly sow moss verbena … Give this aggressive, fast-growing groundcover plenty of room to spread to avoid competition with surrounding plants. Growing taller than the other verbenas, it can reach a height of 18 to 24 inches, and spread up to 4 feet wide. Verbena is generally pretty happy-go-lucky. While Moss Verbena tolerates our summer heat and blooms profusely in the spring and early summer, plants may die out in summer or need to be replaced after a few years. This plant forms a soft mound 8 to 12 inches tall by 3 feet wide. Verbena is most vulnerable to powdery mildew when it is planted in partial shade with poor drainage. Once established, Verbena plants do not require much care. Fertilizer. IT’S A FAST GROWING GROUND COVER THAT LOOKS GREAT IN ROCK GARDENS, CONTAINERS, POTS, + MEADOWS. It can be used for permanent erosion control in areas where it is hardy. Water if the soil feels almost completely dry on the surface. Photo: Noelle Johnson, AZ Plant Lady. Space them 12 to 24 inches apart. This not only removes the seed heads that signal the plant to rest but also … Vivid purple flowers cover the plant in late spring and last throughout the summer. Verbena also tolerates midsummer drought and baking heat with little complaint, making it the ultimate easy-care flower. Irrigate Verbena as you might your lawn, with an inch of rain or irrigation each week. Also, be sure to read through all of our featured Plant of the Month blogs! Keep the container in full sun and water daily. Prefers full sun and well-drained soil. Moss Verbena is a spreading plant with good drought tolerance that has naturalized from Georgia to Florida growing in old fields, waste areas and roadsides. Perennial verbenas are heat tolerant and drought tolerant once established. Although the most common color is purple, you may also find pink and white selections. Learn more about these and other great desert plants at the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association’s Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert plant database. It is an excellent perennial for ground cover. Whiteflies are attracted to some verbenas in urban areas. FIRST, A BRIEF DISCUSSION OF SCIENTIFIC NAMES. Pruning off the dried flower stalks and spent foliage in early summer will give the plants a cleaner appearance. Lightly rake the seed under the soil. Tolerates sandy and low fertility soil. Native to tropical areas of South America, Moss Verbena has escaped cultivation and naturalized across much of the southern U.S. DROUGHT AND HEAT TOLERANT. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Place the potted moss verbena seeds near a large window with eight hours of sun exposure each day. Water verbena as you might your lawn, with an inch of rain or irrigation each week. Sometimes called cutleaf vervain, moss verbena (Glandularia puchella) is a tender perennial plant species favored for its ferny, aromatic foliage and dainty white flower clusters. Choose a potting soil enriched with time-release fertilizer to give plants a head start. water : Moderate Water.