Verbena (Verbena) is a genus of perennial and annual herbs , shrubs of the verbena family. About 250 species, most of them distributed on the American continent from Canada to Peru, some – in Europe.
- Family : verbena.
- Homeland : South and North America, part of the species – Europe.
- Rhizome : powerful, branched, with fibrous roots.
- Stem : prostrate, erect or creeping.
- Leaves : opposite, sometimes alternate, of various shapes depending on the species.
- Fruit : nutlet.
- Reproductive ability : propagated by seeds, sometimes cuttings.
- Illumination : photophilous.
- Watering : moderate.
- Content temperature : thermophilic, grown as an annual.
- Flowering time : June to October.
Description of the plant: leaves, stems, verbena seeds
Rhizome plants up to 1 m tall with tetrahedral, erect, creeping or prostrate stems, smooth or pubescent. Leaves opposite or alternate, dissected or pinnately incised, serrated, rarely entire, oblong-oval. Verbena flowers are sessile, sometimes axillary, up to 2.5 cm in diameter. Collected in the final inflorescence, corymbose or paniculate, brushes or spikes, 30-50 pcs. The shape of the verbena flower is clove -shaped, the color is varied, blue, dark blue, red, pink, white or yellow, one-color or with a white, creamy core. Verbena fruit is a combined nut, 1 g contains about 300 seeds, germination lasts up to 2 years.
Verbena has been known and revered by many peoples since ancient times. She was endowed with magical powers, used for conspiracies and witchcraft rituals, in addition, she was always considered healing. In the Middle Ages, verbena grass was used to treat leprosy and fever, scrofula and sore throat, skin diseases and bruises, and was used for disinfection, which was especially valuable during the numerous epidemics of those years.
And now verbena officinalis (Verbena officinalis) is used both in folk and official medicine. This unpretentious perennial plant, up to 70 cm tall, is widespread in nature, grows on edges, fields and meadows throughout Europe. It has a tonic, analgesic, astringent, soothing, antiseptic effect.
Some ornamental species and varieties of verbena
In decorative floriculture, several perennial flowering species of verbena of South American origin are used, grown as annuals in our climate.
Verbena hybrid (Verbena x hybrida hort) is the most common cultivated species that combines numerous varieties and garden forms of hybrid origin, created after 1830. Height 20 – 50 cm, erect or creeping stems and leaves on short petioles of an oblong or elongated triangular shape, have hard pubescence. It blooms from June to October with clove-shaped flowers collected in umbellate inflorescences, a wide variety of colors, both plain and variegated.
There are varieties of verbena:
Large-flowered or mammoth (var. mammuth hort.) , with large flowers, from 35 to 50 cm high, varieties: Kenixblau, with dark purple flowers; Rosakenigin, pink with a light eye, dark blue Cyclops, pure white Schneekenigin and scarlet red Etna.
Low compact (var. nana campacta hort.) with short shoots 20-30 cm tall, varieties: Defiance bright red, with a creamy greenish core, Ruby with red-violet flowers, Spectrum Roth, dark scarlet, velvety.
A popular cultivar of beautiful Imagination Verbena (V. speciosa Imagination) , marked with the Fleuroselect quality mark, has thin branching shoots up to 50 cm long, violet-purple flowers, recommended for containers and hanging baskets, and also as a ground cover.
Verbena Buenos Aires (Bonar) (Verbena bonariensis) , up to 120 cm high with tall stems, opposite lanceolate leaves and small amethyst flowers, collected in numerous umbellate inflorescences. Differs in long, from mid-summer to late autumn, and abundant flowering, weak delicate aroma. Unpretentious, tolerates temporary shading, grows well on any soil.
Verbena hedgehog (Verbena ehinoides) , up to 30 cm high with openwork dissected leaves, shoots reaching a length of 80 cm. Forms dense cushions of leaves and rounded inflorescences with white, blue, lilac flowers on long peduncles. Blooms early.
hard verbena (Verbena rigida Spreng) with branched creeping stems, hard elongated serrated leaves along the edge, pubescent from below, capitate inflorescences collected in 3 pcs. at the ends of the runs. It blooms profusely in June-October with purple in the original species or bluish-white in the Polaris variety (Polaris) small flowers. In the conditions of the south of Russia, it can winter in open ground.
Canadian Verbena with thin stems 15-20 cm long, creeping and rooting at ground contact, oval, pointed, deeply divided leaves, and purple or lilac flowers. Sometimes it has a spicy-clove smell. There are varieties Perfecta and Toronto, magenta-pink, without aroma.
Below are photos of verbena of various decorative types.
Growing verbena – planting, watering, feeding and caring for the plant
Verbena is planted in sunny open places in light, fairly fertile soil. Some species are sown directly into the ground in early May; seedlings are pre-grown for earlier flowering. To do this, verbena seeds are planted in seedlings in March-April, using loose, well-fertilized soil. Earlier sowing is undesirable; with a lack of light in the winter months, verbena seeds germinate poorly. Due to their susceptibility to fungal diseases, they are sown superficially, without deepening into the soil, on a layer of sand or perlite, and covered with glass to maintain constant humidity. Landings are put in a warm, dark place, providing a temperature of at least 25 ° C, for which you can use, for example, a central heating battery. At 25-28°C, the first shoots may appear in 3-6 days, after which the seedling box is immediately removed to a bright room with a temperature of about 22°C.
Verbena plants dive when they reach 2-3 true leaves, when planted in clean perlite or sand – in the cotyledon phase. Water moderately, feed 14 days after picking, and then 1 time in 2 weeks. They are planted at a distance of 25 cm from each other at the end of May, when the threat of return frosts has passed.
Further cultivation of verbena is not difficult, it consists in weeding, loosening, watering. For better flowering, it is recommended to regularly trim wilted inflorescences, shortening the shoot by 1/4 of the length. Water moderately, mainly in the first 2-3 weeks after planting, then – only when the soil is completely dry. The plant is drought-resistant, tolerates high temperatures well, and excessive application of nitrogen and moisture causes the growth of shoots to the detriment of flowering. If necessary, for better planting growth, they are fed 3-4 times per season with complex mineral fertilizers.