How-to Guide
How to Grow Verbena
The short answer
Verbena wants two things absolutely: full sun all day and well-drained soil — it cannot tolerate crowding, shade, or soil that stays wet (Clemson Extension). Plant in spring after frost, pinch the branch tips at planting time to force dense growth, and give it a thorough weekly watering only when rain falls short of an inch.
The signature move is the summer trim: when bloom slows in the heat, cut the whole plant back by about one-fourth of its height, water and feed it, and it returns to full bloom within 2 to 3 weeks. Trailing types are among the best container and hanging-basket annuals.
Site: Sun and Drainage or Nothing
Clemson Extension is blunt: verbena needs a location with full sun throughout the day and well-drained soil, and fails in overcrowding, poor air circulation, shade, or overly moist soil. If your bed is even a little damp and shady, pick a different plant — mildew will find verbena there.
Planting and Pinching
Plant in spring or summer once frost is past (fall planting works in mild coastal regions, per Clemson). Pinch the tips of the branches at planting time — this one habit turns a sparse plant into a dense, many-branched bloomer.
Water and Feeding
Newly planted verbena needs consistent moisture for several weeks to establish. After that, during bloom, give a thorough watering once a week only if the week brought less than an inch of rain — and avoid overhead irrigation, which invites mildew (Clemson Extension).
Feed with a complete fertilizer such as 16-4-8 in mid- to late spring and again after the summer cutback. Container plants do better with controlled-release fertilizer or a monthly liquid feed.
The Quarter-Height Summer Trim
Verbena blooms hard, then stalls in midsummer. When bloom slows, trim the whole plant back by about one-fourth of its height, water thoroughly, and fertilize — plants return to bloom within 2 to 3 weeks (Clemson Extension). Trailing types can get this treatment whenever they overrun their container or neighbors.
✔ Don't wait for the plant to look terrible. Trim at the first clear slowdown and the rebound is faster.
Containers and Baskets
Verbenas — especially trailing types — grow very well in containers and hanging baskets, where drainage is automatically better than in heavy garden soil. Expect to water containers more frequently than in-ground plantings (Clemson Extension).
Common Problems
- Powdery mildew, botrytis blight, and root rot — all driven by moisture, shade, and crowding.
- Aphids, whiteflies, thrips, and spider mites — spider mites especially in hot, dry spells (Clemson Extension).
- Bloom stall in midsummer — solved by the quarter-height trim, not more fertilizer alone.
Sources
Reviewed 2026-07-18. We cite university Extension, government, and established horticultural sources — and never invent pesticide rates or dangerous treatments.
- Clemson University HGIC — Verbena — Full sun all day and well-drained soil required; pinch tips at planting; weekly watering if under 1 inch rain, no overhead irrigation; 16-4-8 feeding schedule; trim back one-fourth of height when bloom slows with rebloom in 2-3 weeks; container use; disease/pest list
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Verbena canadensis — Verbenas are heat-tolerant, long-blooming plants for full sun and well-drained sites