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Verbena bonariensis--hardy annual?

deanna in ME Barely zone 6a, more like 5b

14 years ago

I have just gotten some Verbena-on-a-stick (V. bonariensis) and am very excited. Yes, I KNOW it can be invasive!

I haven't been able to determine from posts if it is a hardy annual or not. Somebody from Vermont said it had reseeded, which makes me think it might do well wintersowing, but I've never wintersowed before. Shoot, I've hardly ever sowed anything at all before!! I would like to go ahead and wintersow it with my other perennials.

I live on the 4/5 border. Can I sow this in January, or should I wait until March?

Thank you!

Deanna

P.S. Obviously from my posts I think hardy annuals can be wintersown early. If I'm wrong on that let me know!

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Comments (13)

kqcrna
14 years ago
It's pretty hardy. It wintered over in my zone 6. Very invasive for me- I have been trying to get rid of it since 2007. Worst thing I ever planted.

Karen
columbusgardener
14 years ago
I agree with Karen :( no matter how many i pull I always find more....
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trudi_d
14 years ago
It's quite hardy, its leaves may go grey and get muzzy during the winter. Next spring, wait until you see new growth, then trim away the yuck parts, give a light feeding and the plants will be fine.

If it does croak over winter I wouldn't worry too much. Verbena-on-a-Stick reseeds--sometimes too well.
not_a_contessa
14 years ago
I must confess it is one of my favorite plants, especially when I have a beautiful Monarch butterfly feasting on it. It looks great with other flowers and because it has almost no foliage to speak of it doesn't crowd others out.

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kqcrna
14 years ago
I loved it too, Mary, until it took over.

Karen
deanna in ME Barely zone 6a, more like 5b
Original Author
14 years ago
My understanding is that is takes over by seeding, right? I enjoy deadheading, which I think will help me with the seedlings. If it takes over like mint with underground stolens, then I'll not be too happy.

So, looks like I can wintersow!

Deanna
terrene
14 years ago
V. bonariensis is a very hardy annual. The foliage stays green well after hard frosts, and it is perennial in zones 7 and warmer. However, I usually have a few that overwinter here too. Even last winter, which was a true zone 5 winter for us, a couple of mature plants over-wintered. Maybe that was because they were protected by good snow cover all winter.

Mine does reseed quite a bit, but it's not that bad for me. It's no worse than Cleome or Coriander. It's a great filler between perennials and grasses. And the bumblebees and butterflies love it.
ontnative
14 years ago
In your zone (and mine) it's pretty much of a reseeding annual. It doesn't spread by the root and the spring seedlings are very easy to pull out if you have too many. If you accidentally pull out too many seedlings and lose it one year, just direct sow another package of seeds, and you will have lots again. Butterflies just love it.
kqcrna
14 years ago
Not. If you have thousands of seedlings pop up every time the soil is disturbed, it's not "easy to pull". It's a summer-long job. I hate the stuff.

Karen
trudi_d
14 years ago
Sometimes I have to yank them because VB can get powdery mildew. If I remember to feed them regularly with a rose care systemic (like Bayer Rose Food) then I don't have a problem with the powdery mildew.

A few years ago we went on vacation up to Niagara Falls. On the Canadian side is a wonderful botanical garden that has a butterfly center. Outside the center are enormous long planters lined with benches. I was sitting at one and was just amazed at all the butterflies hovering above the planter, going from flower to flower. It was filled with nothing but Verbena bonariensis. Pure eye candy.
mnwsgal
14 years ago
I have not had VB overwinter in my gardens but have had a very small amount of reseeding. This was the fourth year for my garden and I wished it had reseeded more.
deanna in ME Barely zone 6a, more like 5b
Original Author
14 years ago
Karen, you must live in Verbena Nirvana! Thousands of seedlings would be quite a job. You could probably call yourself a "Professional Verbena Eradication Specialist" by now. Sounds like in my area it stays under control. It would be interesting to know what about your area was so conducive to it, because your zone is supposed to be just a little too cold. You must have great soil or something, or maybe an amazingly green thumb!

Thanks for all the input, everyone,
Deanna
kqcrna
14 years ago
I do use a lot of mulch, but I've also been adding compost to these beds for 20 years or more. I do think it's pretty fertile because I get so many reseeders of other things, too- digitalis, larkspur, nigella, rudbeckia, Yvonne's salvia...the list goes on and on. And that's without mentioning the maple and birch trees.

In my pre-organic days I used Preen and didn't have this problem. I'm seriously considering using it this spring after I hoe out the carpet of volunteers already growing now. It seems to be the only hope of getting them in control. I used corn gluten last summer with no apparent effect.

I have applied thick leaf mulch most years in autumn but didn't do it this year. I also apply a good 3 in. of shredded wood mulch each spring. Doesn't help much.

Karen

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