I. Plant Overview

Garden Verbena is a beloved ornamental flower renowned for its vibrant colors and versatile uses. It features a low-growing, trailing habit (20-50 cm tall) with strong branching and excellent ground coverage. Its small, dense flowers form corymbose or spicate inflorescences, boasting a rich color palette including red, pink, white, purple, blue, orange, and bicolors—some varieties emit a delicate fragrance. Highly adaptable, it tolerates heat, poor soil, and pruning, making it ideal for balcony pots, garden groundcovers, flower bed edging, and hanging baskets. As a high-quality cut flower and urban greening plant, it combines ornamental and practical value, standing out as a top choice for creating colorful landscapes in horticulture.

II. Morphological Characteristics

Garden Verbena has a trailing, clumping growth habit with dense foliage, forming a full, compact shape with excellent coverage and outstanding ornamental value:

• Stem: Trailing or semi-erect, 20-50 cm tall, slender yet tough, quadrangular, covered with fine short hairs, green or pale purple. Extremely strong branching ability, easily forming a dense groundcover layer.
• Leaves: Opposite, oblong or lanceolate, 2-8 cm long and 1-3 cm wide, with neat crenate-serrate margins. Rough dark green or grayish-green upper surfaces, pubescent undersides, short petioles, and connate bases.
• Flowers: Small and dense, terminal corymbose or spicate inflorescences, 5-10 cm in diameter, each containing dozens of small flowers. Calyx tubular with 5-lobed apex, green and pubescent; 5 funnel-shaped petals with fine notches on edges. Flower colors are diverse—scarlet, pink, white, purple, blue, orange, rose red, and bicolors (red-white, blue-white, etc.), some varieties with a faint fragrance. 4 stamens, 1 pistil with 2-lobed stigma.
• Fruit: Small nutlets, oblong or ovoid, blackish-brown when mature, hard pericarp containing small seeds. Seeds oblong, pale brown with fine textures, 1000-seed weight 0.2-0.3 grams, germination rate lasts 2-3 years.

III. Growth Habits

Garden Verbena is a typical sun-loving, heat-tolerant, poor-soil-tolerant, and pruning-tolerant plant, preferring warm, humid, and well-ventilated climates. It avoids severe cold, waterlogging, and compacted soil. Specific growth habits are as follows:

• Temperature: Optimal growth temperature 15-28℃; seed germination requires 18-22℃ (best at 20-22℃). Strong heat tolerance—can withstand temperatures above 35℃ in summer and continue blooming normally. Weak cold tolerance: growth stagnates when winter temperature drops below 5℃, and frost damage occurs below -5℃; northern regions require indoor overwintering.
• Light: Absolutely sun-loving, requiring 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Sufficient light promotes vigorous branching, dense inflorescences, and vibrant colors; insufficient light causes leggy growth, weak stems, sparse flowering, dull colors, or no flowering.
• Soil: Moderately demanding on soil, preferring loose, well-drained, humus-rich slightly acidic to neutral soil (pH 6.0-7.5), ideally sandy loam or humus loam. Strong tolerance to poor soil—can grow in ordinary garden soil but intolerant of heavy, waterlogged soil. Compacted or waterlogged soil easily leads to root rot and death.
• Water: Prefers humid environments but avoids waterlogging. Follow the principle of “water when topsoil is dry”—water thoroughly after the soil surface dries, avoiding waterlogging in pots. Keep soil slightly moist during seedling stage to promote root development; ensure adequate water supply for mature plants. Increase watering frequency appropriately in hot summer due to rapid evaporation but still avoid waterlogging; reduce watering in winter to keep soil slightly dry for frost protection.
• Special Characteristics: Fast growth rate—takes 2-3 months from sowing to flowering; trailing branches with excellent coverage, suitable as groundcover to quickly cover the ground; good pruning tolerance—post-flowering pruning promotes secondary branching and extends flowering period; resistant to harmful gases (sulfur dioxide, chlorine), suitable for urban greening; excellent nectar source plant, attracting beneficial insects such as bees and butterflies.

IV. Core Values

1. Ornamental Value: Color Feast with Excellent Coverage

Garden Verbena is an excellent choice for creating colorful landscapes, featuring rich, vibrant colors and an extremely long flowering period (spring to autumn) with continuous blooming. Its trailing growth habit provides excellent ground coverage, quickly covering the ground or pots to form a dense “color carpet.” The small, dense flower clusters bloom in clusters—whether planted in single colors or mixed, they present a dazzling visual effect. Suitable for flower bed edging, garden groundcover, balcony pots, and hanging baskets, it can serve as both a main focal plant and a supporting plant to set off other flowers, offering exceptional ornamental value.

2. Practical & Economic Value: Versatile with High Cost-Effectiveness

Garden Verbena is a high-quality cut flower material—with slender inflorescences and long vase life (7-10 days in water), it is suitable for making bouquets, flower baskets, and flower arrangements. Its trailing growth characteristic makes it an ideal groundcover plant for covering bare ground, beautifying slopes, and preventing soil erosion. The compact plant size also makes it a popular potted flower with high market demand and certain economic value. Additionally, Garden Verbena is pruning-tolerant and easy to shape, allowing for various landscape designs to adapt to different horticultural scenarios.

3. Ecological Value: Air Purification & Ecological Support

Garden Verbena exhibits strong resistance and adsorption capacity for harmful gases (sulfur dioxide, chlorine), improving air quality when planted in gardens, parks, or urban green belts. Its excellent coverage and developed root system effectively prevent soil erosion, making it suitable for slope greening and bare ground restoration. Meanwhile, with its abundant flowers and nectar, Garden Verbena serves as an important nectar source for beneficial insects such as bees and butterflies, contributing to ecological balance and enhancing regional biodiversity.

V. Scientific Cultivation Guide

1. Planting Time Selection: Spring & Autumn Sowing

Garden Verbena prefers warm, humid growing environments—planting in spring or autumn is optimal, as the temperature and light conditions are favorable for plant growth and flowering. Avoid extreme heat in summer and severe cold in winter:

• Spring Planting: Southern regions (Yangtze River Basin and south) can sow or transplant in March-April; northern regions in April-May. Stable temperature rise during this period promotes rapid seedling acclimation, vigorous growth, and entry into full flowering period in summer.
• Autumn Planting: Southern regions can sow or transplant in September-October; northern regions should complete planting in August-September. This allows sufficient time for plants to form robust growth before winter, and they can be moved indoors for overwintering, with abundant flowering in the following spring.
• Seedling Cultivation: For seed propagation, start indoor seedlings in February-March (temperature controlled at 20-22℃) or sow outdoors in April-May. Seedlings emerge in 7-10 days; transplant when they have 4-6 true leaves.

2. Soil Preparation: Loose, Well-Drained & Moderately Fertile

Garden Verbena adapts to various soils, but well-prepared soil enhances growth and flowering—key focus on drainage and air permeability:

1. Soil Ratio: Recommended formula: 3 parts garden soil + 3 parts leaf mold + 3 parts river sand + 1 part perlite. Mix well and expose to sun for 3-5 days to disinfect, killing insect eggs and pathogens.
2. Soil Improvement: For heavy clay soil, increase river sand/perlite ratio to improve drainage; for poor soil, mix in decomposed organic fertilizer or compound fertilizer to enhance fertility; for acidic soil, add appropriate wood ash to adjust pH to 6.0-7.5.
3. Base Fertilizer Application: Mix decomposed organic fertilizer (10-15 kg per mu) or compound fertilizer into soil before planting, ensuring full mixing to avoid root burn. For potted plants, place ceramsite or gravel at the bottom to enhance drainage.

3. Planting Methods: Sowing, Cutting & Division

Garden Verbena can be propagated by sowing, cutting, or division. Cutting propagation has high survival rate and fast flowering, suitable for home gardening; sowing propagation produces a large number of seedlings. Specific methods are as follows:

1. Sowing Propagation: No need to soak seeds before sowing. Spread seeds evenly on seedling medium, cover with a thin layer of soil (0.2-0.3 cm thick), and gently compact. Keep medium moist at 20-22℃; seedlings emerge in 7-10 days. Thin seedlings at 2-3 true leaves; transplant at 4-6 true leaves (2-3 plants per pot/hole, spacing 15-20 cm, row spacing 20-30 cm).
2. Cutting Propagation: Conduct in April-May (spring) or August-September (autumn). Select healthy young shoots of the current year, cut into 5-8 cm cuttings, remove lower leaves, retain 2-3 small leaves at the top. Soak the lower part of cuttings in rooting hormone for 5-10 minutes, insert into cutting medium mixed with river sand and perlite (depth 1/3-1/2 of cuttings). Keep medium moist at 20-25℃; roots form in 10-15 days.
3. Division Propagation: Optimal time is March-April (spring) or September-October (autumn). Select healthy, pest-free mother plants, dig up and gently separate clumping plants. Each clump retains 3-5 branches and intact root system; prune rotten roots and overlong branches, then transplant and water thoroughly. Division seedlings bloom in the same year.
4. Potted Plant Note: Choose 20-25 cm diameter pots with drainage holes, plant 2-3 plants per pot to promote rapid shaping; select hanging pots for trailing cultivation to create hanging landscapes.

4. Seedling Stage Management: Acclimation & Growth Promotion

The seedling stage (1-2 months after transplanting) is critical for environmental adaptation and robust growth—strengthen management:

• Acclimation Management: Place transplanted seedlings in cool, well-ventilated area for 3-5 days to acclimate, avoiding direct sunlight. Gradually increase light until full sun after leaves regain turgidity.
• Water Control: Keep soil slightly moist during seedling stage, strictly prohibit waterlogging. Water in the morning or evening with a spray bottle or along pot edges, avoiding wetting leaves and inflorescences.
• Fertilizer Management: No fertilization during seedling stage. After acclimation (1 month after transplanting), apply dilute NPK compound fertilizer (1000x concentration) to promote foliage growth—avoid excessive nitrogen which causes leggy growth.
• Weeding & Loosening Soil: Regularly remove weeds to avoid nutrient competition; loosen soil 1-2 times a month to promote root respiration and prevent compaction.

5. Growth Period Management: Water, Fertilizer & Pruning

From acclimation to budding (1-2 months), Garden Verbena grows rapidly—strengthen management to promote branching and flowering:

6. Flowering & Post-Flowering Management

• Light Management: Ensure 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily during flowering period. Sufficient light ensures vibrant colors and dense flowering—provide supplementary light if insufficient.
• Water Control: Keep soil moist during flowering to avoid flower wilting from drought and root rot from waterlogging. Water in the morning or evening.
• Auxiliary Pollination: Garden Verbena is cross-pollinating; outdoor plants rely on bees and other insects for natural pollination. For closed home environments, gently shake inflorescences to assist pollination and improve seed setting rate.
• Post-Flowering Rejuvenation: Promptly cut off spent flowers and 1-2 pairs of leaves below after blooming to reduce nutrient consumption; apply dilute phosphorus-potassium fertilizer to promote plant recovery and reserve nutrients for secondary flowering; timely remove diseased and withered leaves to maintain ventilation and light penetration.

7. Pest & Disease Control

Garden Verbena is adaptable with few pests and diseases. Common issues and control methods:

(1) Diseases: Powdery Mildew, Leaf Spot, Root Rot

• Prevention: Water reasonably to avoid waterlogging; maintain ventilation and light penetration; avoid overcrowding.
• Control: Spray 800x carbendazim or 1000x thiophanate-methyl at early stage, once every 7-10 days for 2-3 times. For root rot, dig up plants, cut off rotten roots, disinfect, and replant.

(2) Pests: Aphids, Spider Mites, Whiteflies

• Aphids & Whiteflies: Spray 1500x imidacloprid solution.
• Spider Mites: Spray 1000x abamectin solution, focusing on leaf undersides.
• Ecological Control: Interplant with pest-repellent plants such as mint and garlic.

8. Harvesting & Utilization

1. Harvest Time: Ornamental flowers—harvest when inflorescences are fully open and most vibrant; cut flowers—harvest at semi-open stage for longer vase life; seed harvesting—collect when fruits mature (blackish-brown color), promptly gather seeds to avoid scattering.
2. Harvest Method: Cut cut flowers at stem base with scissors, harvest in the morning after dew dries (avoid harvesting on rainy days to prevent mold); for seed harvesting, pick mature fruits, dry in the sun, and rub to collect seeds.
3. Processing & Utilization: Fresh cut flowers have 7-10 day vase life for floral arrangements; dry seeds for next year’s sowing; shape plants through pruning for potted or hanging basket landscape arrangements.
4. Seed Preservation: Select healthy plants with beautiful flower shape and vibrant colors as seed parents. Harvest fruits when mature, rub to collect seeds, remove impurities and shrunken grains, and store in sealed containers in a dry, cool, well-ventilated place.