Verbena canadensis
Drought- and salt-tolerant, low-growing ground cover in the Verbenaceae family with massed pink-to-purple blooms that attract butterflies, blooming from spring through fall.
Common Names
Clump Verbena, Rose Verbena, Rose Vervain
Summary
Verbena canadensis is a native North American perennial groundcover with a low, spreading habit, stems that root at nodes to form a dense mat, and shiny dark green leaves, with showy rose-pink to purple flower clusters that bloom from spring through fall and attract butterflies and hummingbirds. It originates in the eastern and south-central United States and thrives in full sun on well-drained soils. In cultivation, it prefers sunny, well-drained sites, tolerates drought once established, and works well as a ground cover in borders, rock gardens, containers, or hanging baskets. Hardy in USDA zones 6 to 10, it can be propagated from seeds or cuttings and may self-seed; deadheading helps maintain bloom and tidy appearance.
Lifecycle
Annual or perennial, depending on climate; often perennial in warm climates and annual in cooler regions.
Height
8-18 inches
Spread
2-3 feet
Hardiness Zones
Zones 5-9
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full Sun, tolerates partial shade.
Soil Type
Well-drained soil
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil.
Soil pH
Mildly acidic to neutral soils, tolerates very acidic soils.
Bloom Color
Pink to purple
Bloom Time
Spring through Fall
Foliage Color
Dark green on the upper surface and lighter green underneath.
Fall Foliage Color
Green
Leaf Lifecycle
Semi-deciduous
Growth Rate
Moderate to fast pace
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, and Fall
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Cuttings, Division, Layering
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- (L.) Britton
- Publication
- Mem. Torrey Bot. Club 5: 276 (1894)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Lamiales
- Family
- Verbenaceae
- Genus
- Verbena
Synonyms
Verbena aubletia Verbena aubletia var. drummondii Verbena aubletia var. lambertii Verbena canadensis f. candidissima Verbena canadensis var. ehrenbergii Verbena canadensis subsp. elegans Verbena canadensis var. lambertii Verbena drummondii Verbena intermedia Verbena lambertii Verbena longiflora Verbena oblaetia Verbena rubra Billardiera explanata Buchnera canadensis Buchnera canadensis Glandularia canadensis f. candissima Glandularia carolinensis Glandularia lambertii Glandularia aubletia Verbena canadensis var. candisissima Verbena canadensis var. candidissima Verbena grandiflora Verbena lambertii var. rosea Glandularia drummondii Glandularia canadensis Glandularia canadensis