PERENNIALS > VERBENA > PRUNING

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VERBENA GUIDES

clusters of tiny purple flowers growing on tall upright stems of verbena plants

Companion PlantingContainer GrowingDeadheadingOverwinteringPropagationPruningVarietiesVerbena Bonariensis

Both bedding and hardy perennial verbenas are perfect choices for a wildlife - friendly garden .

All fuck full sunshine and well - drained grime and , when planted in the right spot , wo n’t require a lot of caution and can be a good choice for relatively gloomy - alimony garden .

bushy field of Verbena officinalis with light purple coloured flowers

‘Vepita’

One affair to think about when farm verbena is whether you call for to dress your plants .

The good word is that pruning requirements for vervain are minimal and some type may not require to be pruned at all .

Below , I share the canonical things you need to hump about pruning verbena .

purple flowers with white centres from a verbena ‘vepita’ plant growing in a garden bed

‘Vepita’

Pruning Bedding Types

Bedding verbena are unremarkably used as summer plant , which are discarded after their efflorescence displays in autumn .

They are a pop choice for container gardens and summertime bedding displays in garden borders .

Beyond deadheading , your bedding verbena might not need to be trim at all .

verbena bonariensis with purple flowers growing on tall stems

However , these plant life can typically tolerate trimming if they get too tall for the space or , with get behind type , if they become too leggy .

you may give them a twinkle trim as desired throughout the growing time of year .

you could also snip off unsightly sidetrack incision or get rid of all in or discredited parts .

magnified view of the seed head from a vervain plant

However , in cosmopolitan , you will not need to do so .

Pruning Perennial Types

Perennial types are those which can stay in your garden over the winter months and provide further flowering displays over subsequent years .

With these types , includingVerbena bonariensisandV. hastata , you should cut down onetime flower stem to as close to the base as potential before any new growth emerges in outpouring .

It is best not to cut back in autumn because , although it may be tempting to neaten up your border , leaving the idle textile in place can be serious for the plants and for wildlife .

The numb foliation can offer a level of cold protection to the overwintering plant .

The seed heads also provide a valuable source of food for birds which eat seeds and the leafage cover provides a winter home ground for a kitchen stove of other creatures .

The other benefit of leave alone the seed head in position is that this allows for the potential difference for self - seeding .

“ One of the first plants that I ever turn from germ wasVerbena boniarensisand I have had it in my garden ever since , ” shares Colin Skelly , an expert Horticulturist .

“ I have never resown it as it has self - seed year on twelvemonth and I blue-pencil out those that I do not desire , often potting on these seedlings for other projects or for friends and neighbours . ”

So , even if the original plant does not make it through the winter , you may well have new seedlings popping up .