Verbena is an annual flower known for being a garden treasure in areas where few other plants will grow. Some varieties trail; others form mounds of color.

Verbena is an annual flower, a good trailing plant used in rock gardens. Blaze is a type of verbena.
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Description: The trailing plant varieties may reach 18 inches in diameter, while the mounding types will grow to about a foot high and wide. The flowers bloom in clusters and come in strong and pastel shades including blue, red, purple, peach, and white.

How to grow: Verbenas prefer well-drained, sandy soil with good fertility. Plant after all danger of frost has passed. Space plants 12 (upright types) to 18 (trailing types) inches apart.

Propagation: Verbenas are slow in the early stages. Sow seeds 12 to 14 weeks prior to planting in the garden. Germination takes three to four weeks at 75 degrees to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Uses: The trailing types are ideal for rock gardens, for trailing over walls, and as edgings for garden beds and borders. Use mounding types in beds and borders. Verbena also trails nicely from containers.

Related varieties: Blaze is a red variety. Peaches and Cream is tinted peach, pink, and white. Other named forms are constantly introduced in a rainbow of colors.

Scientific name: Verbena x hybrida