Verbena bonariensis

Another one of those plants that seemed not suited to this area but simply took a year to establish itself.

In 2023 I sowed and planted Verbena bonariensis into the then still more or less empty garden. They grew and flowered but stayed small and during the summer they constantly needed water just to survive. In the beginning of September they looked pretty dead but after the rains in October they began to sprout green leaves again.

This year those same plants grew to a height of at least 150cm, flowering profusely throughout May and June. I did not water them and while a few of them now seem irrevocably dead, quite a few others still live – and they also reseeded themselves in lots of places. Those small new plants, blooming in September and October, will become tall next year.

Conclusion: Verbena bonariensis is altogether a lovely drought-resistant perennial flower, providing height to the garden in a pretty and airy way. Definitely a keeper!