I just put in six GORGEOUS Verbenas -- a hybrid called Tapien Blue Violet. The label says Annual, but the nursery worker said no, it's perennial.
Here is just one of many Web sites about the plant:
Please reassure me that it IS Perennial?
Any experience out there?
I'm in So. Calif Coastal.
Dark Energy
Yes Tapien should be a perennial where you are. Most verbenas are not very long lived perennials however. Up here they seem to live longer if they are planted with good drainage; they do not like to be real wet in the winter. Emilie NorCal
The supertapiens can only be asexually propagated and are a licensed plant. I've grown these from cuttings in the greenhouse when they first introduced and found them to be reliably hardy to about 15 degrees, but not a sustaining cold like that. If you live on the coast in socal you should not have any problem with them dying, but they should be pruned a few times during the growing season and if possible, deadheaded to produce larger display of color.
I'm afraid they wouldn't have much problem getting "real wet" what with the scary lack of rain we have had last few "winters". This year we had only about 1-1/2 real rains, with a couple of overnighters in between. :(
What do you mean by "not very long lived"? A few years, I hope?
Dark Energy
Wow that is a beautiful verbena!!!! I sure hope my Amish greenhouse has them in another 6 or 7 weeks when we can put stuff outside!! He always has beautiful verbena in great colors!! Nan in DE
However much rain you get, or irrigation, they just don't like to be in a spot that stays soggy or puddly. They get root rot easily. As Jangchub suggested, cut them back now and then and deadhead so they look better. They seem to last about 3 years.Then they get leggy and decline into ugly plants emilie
If they are religiously cut back, much the way mums should be cut back several times before blooming, they live a longer ore productive life. Of all the trailing, perennial verbenas my favorite would have to be 'Homestead,' but I bought one last season which has a beautiful, fractured blue and white flower. I wish I knew what this variety was so I can recommend it, but it came through my hot summer in full sun and even though it wilted severely several times it recovered promptly after I watered it.
Victoria
also tends to self-sow nicely in my flower beds. Jean
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