The dramatic Verbena bonariensis is perhaps the single plant that makes a garden truly come alive. Endless masses of bright purple blooms perched on sturdy, tall stems, this South American native makes summer borders the pollinator of heaven. 

The size of its prolific blooms and its towering height, typically between four and five feet, give it undeniable popularity in landscapes of warmer regions.

Why The Plant Company Loves Verbena Bonariensis

The Plant Company is not a stranger to the craft of making lively gardens, and Verbena bonariensis is on their list of most popular suggestions. With experience as their guide, they complement this plant due to its resistance to drought, long flowering period, and its ability to attract not only butterflies but also bees and birds. 

As The Plant Company notes, anyone wanting a colourful, pollinator-friendly garden will quickly see why Verbena bonariensis deserves a spot in their landscape.

A Magnet for Pollinators and Birds

Verbena bonariensis is truly magical due to its ability to attract a remarkable number of garden guests. Bees, hummingbirds, skippers, swallowtails, monarchs, goldfinches, and many others make these airy stems their landing pads. 

Verbena bonariensis is the last to die in the late summer and fall, and is a source of much-needed nectar to:

• Monarch butterflies during their migration
• Goldfinches harvesting ripening seeds
• Honeybees, bumblebees, and a range of native bee species 
• Busying in and out of bloom hummingbirds.

Bunches of flowers continue to emerge through late spring until a hard frost, making the garden a nonstop spectacle and ensuring pollinators are sufficiently fed.

Growing Conditions and Care

The open growth habit of Verbena bonariensis is excellent in both focal points and back borders, as well as creating a see-through effect when paired with grasses or perennials. It grows in full sun and requires minimal water once established, unless there is an extreme drought. 

In colder climates, it is an annual that easily reseeds and regenerates new plants each year that appear in new locations.

• Loves full sun, drought-tolerant on existing plants. 
• Blooms mid-spring until frost with minimal maintenance
• Handles pruning well, promoting bushier, more floriferous growth
• Susceptible to powdery mildew if shaded, easily treated organically
• Seed heads can be left to feed birds or removed to limit spread.

Invasive Nature and Modern Alternatives

Although it has numerous virtues, Verbena bonariensis is classified as being invasive in some places, such as Georgia, California, and Washington, because it self-propagates wildly. 

The gardeners here may need to continually remove seedlings or select more recent cultivars, such as Meteor Shower, which have the same attractiveness to pollinators but in a smaller, non-invasive size.

Making the Most of Verbena Bonariensis

Planting verbena bonariensis with the intention of tucking it into a sunny spot, gardeners introduce months of visual enjoyment and life to their landscapes. The pages of butterflies floating over clouds of purple flowers and birds snacking at seed heads add levels of enjoyment and intention. 

With the practical ideas provided by The Plant Company, any garden can host its own pollinator party and become a vibrant home to wildlife.

Agnes Green