March Plant of the Month

Rose Vervain or Verbena suggested by Liz Soutendijk

I first encountered this native of east Texas during a brisk morning walk in March on one of our paths at the edge of the woods. I was caught by a surprisingly fragrant odor and literally sniffed my way to the flowers. I found them to be sparse, even though there are many clumps spread out along the edge of our woods under dappled shade when the trees are in bloom. However in a cultivated garden they make a wonderful ground cover. You can create dense 5-10 inch high mats.

Family: Verbenaceae (ver-be-NAY-see-ee)
Genus: Verbena (ver-BEE-nuh) or Glandularia (glan-doo-LAIR-ee-uh)
Species: canadensis (ka-na-DEN-sis)

Category:  Groundcover                                                   

Height:  6-12 in.

Spacing:  18-24 in.

Hardiness:  USDA Zone 6b to 10b

Sun Exposure:  Full Sun but will bloom in partial shade.

Bloom Color:  Purplish

Bloom Time:  Late Spring through fall, occasional blooms in mild winter

Foliage:  Semi-evergreen

Other details:  Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping, early nectar source for butterflies.

Propagation Methods:   By dividing the rootball, from herbaceous stem cuttings, seed.