I forgot about it...I used to have it...but somehow it died out.
As I recall it was pretty carefree, just always was there, seeds itself but not rampantly...
It's a good plant...I need to gets ome more.
Linda C

i thought *homestead purple* was only hardy to zone 6 ... would LOVE to have that plant if it IS z.5 hardy ... good luck & will be looking for a report next spring!

phyl

I've had this for about four years. One plant can cover a lot of ground if in full sun. It blooms from early May until first frost, no babying required. I usually wait until I see new growth in spring to cut it back. In less than full sun situations, it doesn't flower much.

When I googled "Homestead Purple" Perennial Verbena, I found that it is supposed to be hardy through Zone 6 or 7- GRRRR. I HATE when a local nursery sells stuff as perrenial that isn't hardy to this Zone. There was no zone indicated on the tag.
HOWEVER, I did find one site that says if it survives the first Winter it's good to go... and the right "micro-climate" might do the trick. They do say the "zone map" is shifting so maybe I'll get lucky. All I can do is try, since I already bought the plants. Thanks for the feedback, Everybody. Kathy

darn ... tasymo, i was hoping i was wrong ... darn ...

any zone 5 gardeners, have you tried overwintering in an unheated garage?? ... presume a basement would be *too* warm? ... tasymo & i sure would love to know!

I put one in ground today, and one in a pot. I'll stick the potted one in my unheated shed for the Winter. I would think if LindaC can overwinter it in zone 5/4, it ought to work for Us! Time will tell, and I'll be sure to post an update in the Spring... Kathy

Both my friend and I tried several plants of Homestead Purple a few years ago. None overwintered. Mine was in a sheltered location but hers was out in the open. Good luck.

I just bought 4 at home depot . I don't know if they will winter here, but I was thinking of using them in big whiskey barrels and in fall dig them up and winter them either in my garage or my front window, my garage isent heated, but they may do well in my fron window . When I bought them I though I could leave them outside too but if they do winter for z5 they won't for me. But they are beautiful.

let's just keep trying and let each other know what conditions it needs to keep coming back. we're in 6b but it was zone 5 for a hundred years so i don't know how much i trust that. i think it's where it is. if it's protected in a corner bed and not subject to drying winds and it can reseed itself it will.

I'm in zone 7 so I can't help out as far as if it can be winter hardy to zone 5, but I will tell you during the warmer growing months it spreads quite a lot, but not undesireably so, being so pretty and easy to cut back into bounds if you want it to stay more put. I don't mind at all that it has weaved through its neighboring plants! I planted 'Homestead Purple' in front of some daylillies and it wandered all the way to the back of them. The touch of purple poking up through the strappy daylilly leaves looks very, very nice.

They spread by the lower stems which turn woody and root when they touch the ground. If a runner gets longer than you want it you can chop off the woody stem and move the rooted end and plant it somewhere else. I used to think you had to get a rooted piece to make another plant but I discovered you can also just cut off a non-rooted green stem and stick it in the ground. I found that out when I cut off a long flowering stem that was hanging way over the edge of the bed. I was going to throw it away but it was such a pretty and healthy piece I wandered if I could pinch off the lower-most 3 or 4 pairs of leaves and just stick the stem in the dirt. I made a pencil-shaped hole and plunged the stem in all the way to where the first set of leaves was at soil level. There was even a flower at the top of the stem that I didn't bother to remove which had wilted by the next day, but the stem grew new leaves in just a matter of days. Easy as pie.

Although I haven't tried it, I don't know why you couldn't overwinter your 'Homestead Purple' in the garage. Seems like it would work to me. I would sure give it a try.

I think I planted my first verbena about five or six years ago. I literally love it! No you do not have to baby it at all if you would like after the first spring showing cut it down some and it will rebloom not as showy though. It does need good drainage and lots of Sun it actually prefers dry soil. This year for the first time my verbena have just kept blooming all summer long and I haven't cut any of it back! Maybe it's because they are older plants.

Ok I guess it depends the zone u live in I'm not sure what my zone is I live in North Mississippi. I leave them alone to brown all summer you can cut them back before spring I understand if you live in a more wintery zone do not cut them back at all in the fall

I am also in zone 7, and they were a very good choice for me garden. I am not sure how they would grow in northern zones.

You know it isn't like the annual ones, it is a ground cover. It is pretty, but if you choose it, it's not like a garden phlox or dahlia. It stays on the ground.

Sammy