1 named cultivar

‘Homestead Purple’Homestead Purple Verbena

perennialN. America Native

Verbena

The Story

Plant Bio

Glandularia canadensis, rose verbena, is a low sprawling perennial native to the south-central and eastern United States, six to eighteen inches high and spreading to two feet. Stems root where they touch the ground, carrying coarsely toothed leaves and rounded heads of rose-pink to rose-purple flowers from May through August.

It is naturally short-lived, often behaving as an annual or biennial, but it self-seeds steadily in the open dry ground it prefers, so a patch renews itself rather than persisting as individual plants. Treat gaps as normal and leave some seed to fall, rather than replanting the same spot each year.

Uses & Benefits:

Rose-pink flower heads over a long season, on a low sprawling plant that fills gaps quickly.

Drought-tolerant cover for dry, shallow, rocky ground where little else flowers for months.

A United States native and a reliable butterfly nectar plant right through summer.

Essentials

At a Glance

Plant Type

Perennial

Height

10 inches

Width

20 inches

Light

Full Sun

Zones

6, 7, 8, 9

Water

Low to medium

Humidity

Low to average

Lifespan

Perennial, often short-lived

Native To

South-central and eastern United States

Toxicity

Non-toxic

Planting

How to Grow

Plant in spring in full sun.
Choose average, dry to medium, sharply drained soil.
Avoid wet or poorly drained ground.
Water lightly until established.
Shear lightly after the first flush to encourage more bloom.
Leave some seed to fall so the patch renews itself.

Pro Tip

Expect it to move around rather than persist; leaving seed to fall keeps a colony going far more reliably than replanting.

Keep It Thriving

Care Guide

Do

Give it full sun and dry, free-draining soil ☀️
Shear lightly after the first flush ✂️
Let it self-seed to renew the patch 🌱
Use it as sprawling cover at a border front 🌸

Don't

Plant it in wet or heavy soil ❌
Expect individual plants to be long-lived ❌
Deadhead every flower and prevent any seed set ❌

Seasonal Care Calendar

Task	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Seed
Shear

Watch Out For

Pests & Diseases

Common Pests

Common Diseases

In the Garden

Landscape Uses & Companions

Landscape Uses

Rock garden and border front ground coverNative plant and prairie gardenContainer and hanging basket spiller

Companion Plants

Purple Coneflower Blanket Flower Little Bluestem Prairie Dropseed Butterfly Weed

Multiply

Propagation Methods

Good to Know

Common Questions

Verbena questions

What zones can Verbena grow in?

Verbena is hardy in USDA Zones 6–9. Inside that range it survives winter in the ground; outside it, grow it as an annual or a container plant you protect.

Is Verbena deer resistant?

Yes — Verbena is rated deer-resistant. Deer typically pass it over, though extreme hunger can override any plant's defenses.

When does Verbena bloom?

Verbena typically blooms in late spring through summer through mid-fall. Exact timing shifts a week or two with your zone — Sow's bloom calendar maps it to your garden.

Does Verbena need full sun?

Verbena does best in full sun (6+ hours).

Is Verbena drought tolerant?

Yes — once established (usually after the first full season), Verbena handles dry spells with minimal watering. Water deeply its first year to build the root system that makes that possible.