Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Red Verbena
Red Verbena is a fast, low groundcover that spreads into a mat covered in small clusters of bright red flowers. It blooms from spring into fall, and butterflies and bees visit the flowers. It stays well under a foot tall, so it fits rock gardens, low planters and the edge of a pot where it can spill over. Give it full sun and soil that drains.
Best for: a low red groundcover in full sun, rock gardens and butterfly beds, and spilling over the edge of patio pots and low planters.
It trails along the ground and roots as it spreads, forming a mat that stays well under a foot tall. Plant it about 12 to 18 inches apart and it fills in quickly in a sunny bed.
It cascades over the sides of containers and suits low planters and patio pots. Use a pot with a drainage hole and keep it in full sun so it keeps flowering.
Tuck it between rocks or along the front of a bed. Butterflies and bees visit the red flower clusters from spring into fall.
It is a tender perennial, often grown as a seasonal plant. Soggy soil rots the roots, so plant it where water drains. It is not long-lived, so plan to replant every few years.
- Dense groundcover12 in apart
- Standard groundcover18 in apart
Water a new plant every 2 to 4 days for the first few weeks, then stretch the time between waterings. Once rooted, water is low to moderate. Give it regular water while it blooms to keep the flowers coming.
Trim it lightly after each bloom flush and remove spent flowers to keep it neat and blooming.
A hard frost can damage it. Wait until the danger of frost has passed before cutting damaged growth back.
It is not long-lived and is often grown as a seasonal plant, so plan to replant every few years.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does red verbena get?
It stays about 6 to 12 inches tall and spreads about 1.5 to 3 feet across. Give it room to trail, or plant it in a pot where it can spill over the edge.
How far apart should I plant red verbena?
Plant it about 12 inches apart for a quick, dense cover, or about 18 inches apart for a standard groundcover. See the Spacing tab for the numbers.
When does red verbena bloom?
It blooms from spring into fall, with small clusters of bright red flowers at the tips of the stems. Trim lightly after each flush to keep new flowers coming.
Does red verbena spread?
Yes, it spreads fast. It trails along the ground and roots as it grows, forming a mat, so give it room at the front of a bed.
Can red verbena grow in pots?
Yes. It spills over the edge of containers and suits low planters, so use a pot with a drainage hole and set it in full sun.
How much water does red verbena need?
It needs low to moderate water. Water regularly while it blooms, since more water brings more flowers, and plant it in soil that drains.
Does red verbena need full sun?
Yes. Plant it in full sun, where it flowers best.
How cold hardy is red verbena?
It is a tender perennial, hardy to about the mid 20s °F. Cover it on frost nights, and trim off frost damage once the danger of frost has passed.
How long does red verbena last?
It is not long-lived, so plan to replant it every few years to keep the bed full.
Does red verbena attract butterflies?
Yes. Butterflies and bees visit the flowers, so it fits a butterfly bed or a pollinator border.
Red verbena or pink verbena?
They are the same Peruvian verbena with the same low size and care. The only difference is flower color, so pick the one that suits your bed.
Where is Peruvian verbena from?
Despite the name, it is native to South America outside Peru, including Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay. It grows the same way whichever name is on the tag.
Red Verbena for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Red Verbena is the red-flowered form of Peruvian verbena, a quick, low carpet for sunny beds, rock gardens and pots. It spreads fast and blooms from spring into fall. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard, from size and spacing to water, trimming and cold.
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Red verbena in Phoenix
Red verbena is a fast, low groundcover for full sun. Give it soil that drains and regular water while it blooms, and it flowers from spring into fall.
How far apart to plant red verbena
Plant it about 12 inches apart for a quick, dense mat, or about 18 inches apart for a standard groundcover. It trails and roots as it spreads, so the gaps close fast.
Red verbena in pots
It spills over the edge of containers and fits low planters. Give pots full sun and soil that drains, the same as in the ground.
When does red verbena bloom?
It blooms from spring into fall. Trimming lightly after a flush and removing spent flowers keeps it blooming.
Is red verbena a perennial in Arizona?
It is a tender perennial, hardy to about the mid 20s °F. It is short-lived and often grown as a seasonal plant, so expect to replant every few years.
Red verbena vs pink verbena
Both are Peruvian verbena, a low South American groundcover that roots as it spreads. They share the same size and care, and differ only in flower color.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.