The illustrated growing guide
Tall Verbena
Verbena bonariensis
Family Verbenaceae
Est. zones 7-11
A butterfly magnet that seems to float — tall, wiry, nearly leafless stems hold clusters of purple flowers airily above everything else, so you plant it in the middle of a border and still see through it. It blooms tirelessly from summer to frost, feeding butterflies and bees as well as almost anything can, shrugs off drought, and self-sows to return even where winters kill it.
Full Sun
Low water
Fast growth
Attracts butterflies
Attracts bees
From the print shop
The closest print we make
We don’t print Verbena bonariensis. The closest we have is Verbena hastata (“Blue Vervain”) in the Wildflowers Vol. 2 collection — the same genus, Verbena, not the same species.
16 designsfrom $21.99white or black groundmatte poster, unframed
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Overview
Will tall verbena suit your garden, and what goes wrong.
Will it fruit where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what tall verbena actually needs.
Life cyclePerennial zones 7–11, annual elsewhereTall Verbena at a glance
Common tall verbena problems
- Almost none
- Powdery Mildew (minor)
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Growing
Light, water, soil, propagation and the season’s jobs.
How to grow tall verbena: light, water & soil
How to plant & propagate tall verbena
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The year
What tall verbena asks for, month by month.
The tall verbena year, month by month
BloomPruneWhat each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
- Prune — shape it now — cuts heal cleanly and structure is visible.
The tall verbena year as text
- Jan quiet month
- Feb quiet month
- Mar pruning
- Apr pruning
- May pruning
- Jun bloom
- Jul bloom
- Aug bloom
- Sep quiet month
- Oct quiet month
- Nov quiet month
- Dec quiet month
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
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Ecology & uses
What it does for the garden, and what it is grown for.
Tall Verbena in the garden system
- Herbaceous layer perennial
- Nectary/insectary
What tall verbena is grown for
✓ Commonly eaten
Harvesting & storing tall verbena
Seeds feed goldfinches.
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
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Cultivars
Named varieties of tall verbena, ruled as a catalogue.
Best tall verbena varieties & cultivars
Species; 'Lollipop' (compact 2 ft)
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Sources & plant ID
Where the care distinctions come from, and how the plant is filed.
Research basis
Sources behind this profile
No extension citations are attached to tall verbenayet. The care figures below come from the library's own catalogue rather than a traced primary source.
Plant ID
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Where to buy
Third-party nurseries — not Story Thyme Farms.
Third-party nurseries, not Story Thyme Farms. Prices are theirs.
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.
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Questions
Tall Verbena questions, answered straight.
Is tall verbena safe for kids and pets?
Tall Verbena is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
When do you harvest tall verbena?
Seeds feed goldfinches.
How do you propagate tall verbena?
Division or seed.
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Elsewhere
Where tall verbena sits in the library.
Sunflower
Zinnia
Peony
Daylily