Plants
Verbena
Verbena · Verbenaceae
Verbenas are the heat professionals among balcony flowers: where petunias flag in high summer, their umbel-shaped flower heads carry on undeterred — in glowing colours from red through violet to apricot, many with a pale eye. Butterflies love them. We buy our bedding stock compact and healthy at the Veiling Rhein-Maas.
- Light
- Full sun — at least five to six hours a day.
- Watering
- Moderate — let the soil dry slightly, no waterlogging.
- Care level
- Easy
- Botanical
- Verbena
The genus is diverse: bedding and balcony verbenas (Verbena hybrids) grow bushy to trailing with dense flower umbels; tall Verbena bonariensis — purpletop vervain — floats in violet veils above perennial borders; and native Verbena officinalis is the time-honoured medicinal vervain. None of these should be confused with lemon verbena (Aloysia citrodora), the fragrance and tea herb.
For boxes and baskets, modern hybrid series such as Vepita, Samira or Vanessa are the first choice: compact, rain-proof and considerably more mildew-tolerant than older varieties. Mildew was long the verbena's Achilles heel — with good variety choice and an airy position it is well manageable today.
Verbenas want full sun: the hotter the spot, the more willingly they flower, and they forgive short dry spells better than most balcony companions. That is exactly why we like them on south- and west-facing balconies where more delicate species scorch.
The nectar-rich umbels are an insect magnet — butterflies and wild bees in particular flock to verbenas. To give a balcony ecological value, combine them with million bells, sweet alyssum and salvias.
Care is uncomplicated: cut out spent umbels regularly so energy goes into new buds rather than seed, and trim lightly when flowering slows in late summer. Verbenas then bloom until the first frosts — among the last splashes of colour in the balcony year.
Is Verbena toxic to children and pets?
- Children
- Non-toxic
- Cats
- Mildly irritating
- Dogs
- Mildly irritating
Bedding and balcony verbenas are considered at most mildly toxic: in cats and dogs, larger nibbled amounts can cause digestive upsets, but serious poisoning is not expected. For children the plant is harmless in normal handling.
Typical symptoms: In pets after larger amounts: drooling, vomiting, diarrhoea.
In an emergency:call the German poison control centre in Bonn on +49 228 19240 (24/7) — for pets, contact an emergency vet directly. This information does not replace medical or veterinary advice.
Overview: toxic & non-toxic plants for cats, dogs and children
Care
- 01A fully sunny, warm spot — verbenas are remarkably heat-tolerant.
- 02Water moderately but regularly; short drought is forgiven, waterlogging is not.
- 03Feed every one to two weeks for a continuous display.
- 04Cut out spent umbels to keep new buds coming.
- 05Choose an airy position and prefer mildew-tolerant varieties.
- 06Trim lightly during a late-summer lull — an autumn flush will follow.
Frequently asked
- Is verbena the same as vervain?
- Vervain is the wild species Verbena officinalis, the old medicinal herb. The colourful balcony verbenas are hybrids of South American species and purely ornamental. Lemon verbena for tea is yet another genus (Aloysia) — three different plants under similar names.
- Is verbena toxic to cats or dogs?
- Balcony verbenas are considered mildly toxic at most: larger ingested amounts can cause vomiting or diarrhoea in cats and dogs. To be safe, place the boxes out of reach of nibbling pets.
- Why do my verbena leaves get a white coating?
- That is powdery mildew, the typical verbena ailment in crowded positions and under drought stress. Cut out affected shoots, provide an airy spot and water evenly. When buying new plants, modern mildew-tolerant series are worth choosing.
- Are verbenas hardy?
- Balcony verbenas are not — they are grown as annuals and end with the frost. Verbena bonariensis often survives the cold season in mild spots with winter protection and readily self-seeds; native Verbena officinalis is fully hardy.