Verbena is a fabulous choice for low, wide coverage in dazzling, bright colors. Verbena is a perennial down to USDA zone 6. It’s very short lived, though, so even if it can survive the winter in your area, it will have to be replaced every two or three years. Many gardeners in colder climates simply treat it as an annual, since it flowers very quickly and vigorously even in its first year of growth. So if you’re going to plant verbena, what are some good verbena companion plants? Keep reading to learn more about what to plant with verbena.
Verbena Companion Plants
Companion planting can be based on a few things. One major reason to place certain plants near each other is pest management. Some plants naturally repel certain pests or attract their natural predators. These are best grown near other plants that tend to suffer from those pests. Verbena, especially if it is unhealthy or neglected, can often fall prey to spider mites and thrips. Some good companion plants for verbena that repel spider mites are dill, cilantro, and garlic. If you want to stick to flowers in your flower bed, however, mums and shasta daisies are also good verbena companions because of their ability to drive spider mites away and draw in their predators. Basil is said to deter thrips.
What to Plant with Verbena
Beyond pest management, another important thing to consider when picking companion plants for verbena is growing conditions. Verbena thrives in hot, sunny, dry weather. If it’s exposed to too much shade or water, it can easily fall prey to powdery mildew. It is because of this, the best verbena companions are those that also like it hot, sunny, and dry. Also, keep color and height in mind when picking companion plants for verbena. Depending upon variety, verbena comes in shades of white, pink, red, purple, and blue. It never tends to get more than a foot (31 cm.) high. Choosing a color palate for your garden is really up to your own taste, but some flowers that pair well with verbena include marigolds, nasturtiums, and zinnias.
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