A native of tropical climates, lemon verbena is perennial in frost-free areas. To savor the flavor in regions with cold winters, try growing lemon verbena in a container you can carry indoors.
How do you overwinter lemon verbena?
Maintenance: Lemon verbena is a tender perennial, hardy to about 22°F. Overwinter inside in a dark, cool basement or garage that doesn’t get above 55°F, or in a well-protected area outside, such as a shed, covered porch, or cold frame. Wait until the leaves have fallen from the plant to move indoors.
How do I know if my verbena is annual or perennial?
Is verbena a perennial? Verbena is a group of half-hardy to hardy herbaceous perennials, sometimes short-lived but very floriferous over several months. Commonly known as vervain or simpler’s joy.
Do I cut back lemon verbena?
The best time for cutting back lemon verbena is in spring, shortly after you see new growth. This is the main pruning of the year and will encourage new, bushy growth. Remove winter damage and dead stems down to ground level. Cut old, woody growth down to about 2 inches (5 cm.)
How do you keep lemon verbena alive?
Water and fertilizer.
Lemon verbena should be watered regularly. You never want the soil to fully dry out, but you don’t want soggy roots either, which is why drainage is so important. You can use a general fertilizer every few months to encourage growth.
Can lemon verbena survive winter?
Rosemary, lemon verbena, and a few other perennial herbs are not reliably winter hardy. Extra winter protection can be provided by cutting plants back to within a couple inches of the ground after the first hard frost and covering the remaining stub with soil.
Will lemon verbena survive frost?
Answer: Lemon verbena is a tender perennial herb, which means that it will not withstand frost and low temperatures. It is often grown in a container so that it can be brought inside before the threat of frost. Lemon verbena is best grown in full sun, in a rich and moist soil.
Will verbena survive the winter?
Verbena. Trailing verbenas are nearly all tender perennials so can be successfully overwintered as plants. Get plants through the winter by keeping them somewhere the temperature doesn’t fall below 5°C.
How long do verbena plants live?
Most verbenas are short-lived, so you should plan on replacing them after two or three years. However, some species can re-seed and naturalize in the garden.
Does verbena reseed itself?
Verbena bonariensis can reseed prolifically. Outdoors, don’t disturb the soil too much in spring if you want the volunteer seedlings. Seedlings take a while to germinate, especially in our colder climate (they may not appear until as late as June).
What do you do with verbena in the winter?
Garden care: In cold conditions Verbena bonariensis can suffer dieback if cut back in autumn, so it’s best to leave the plant until spring and cut back the old growth when you see the new shoots emerging at the base.
Is lemon verbena invasive?
A: Lemon verbena is a tender woody perennial that comes back every year. Q: Is lemon verbena invasive? A: In warm, tropical climates, plants can become quite large and may need regular pruning, but they are not invasive plants.
Should verbena be deadheaded?
Deadheading Verbena or removing spent flowers maintains a clean appearance and allows the plant to refocus its energy into even more flowers. Leave any dead growth to protect the plant during the winter and trim it back in the spring.
How often should you water lemon verbena?
Keep the surface of the soil moist, but don’t oversaturate the plants; The roots do not like to stay wet. When the top two inches of soil are dry, water and aim for a moisture level that resembles a wrung-out sponge. Plants grown indoors for the winter months can be watered once a week, but may be kept on the dry side.
Why is my lemon verbena dying?
Your verbena plant may wilt with too much water or too little. Keep in mind that a verbena plant that is wilting does not necessarily always need water. Sometimes verbena plants wilt when they have too much water. Always check the soil dryness to determine if you should give the verbena plant some water.
Where does lemon verbena grow best?
Lemon verbena prefers full sun and free-draining soil that has been amended with compost. Heavy clay or overly wet soils will cause the roots to rot. Plant it near the edge of the bed where you’ll be apt to brush by the foliage, causing the leaves to release some of their lemony scent.
Does lemon verbena grow back?
Lemon verbena will grow well in the ground if the soil has very good drainage. Lemon verbena responds well to regular trimming, which keeps the plant from getting too lanky. This branch is sprouting back after being cut.
How do you bring verbena back to life?
If there’s life left in the verbena, it should perk up or send out new shoots within a few days. Assuming that happens, snip off any dead branches and keep watering. Once the plant is growing again, start to add a half- or quarter-strength balanced fertilizer every few days.
What can I do with lemon verbena leaves?
This lemon-scented herb has a number of culinary uses ranging from rich roasts to sweet citrusy desserts and jams. Lemon verbena can be used to make flavorful olive oil-based salad dressings, subtle lemon ice cream, and lemon verbena jelly, as well as season poultry dishes, salsa verde, and soups.
What can I plant next to lemon verbena?
Plants that thrive in similar conditions are good companions for lemon verbena, for example, liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), some species of St. John’s wort (Hypericum) or lemon balm (Melissa officinalis). Lemon verbena can also be planted together with coriander (Coriandrum sativum) or beebalms (Monarda).
Can you grow lemon verbena in pots?
Lemon verbena is typically grown as a specimen plant in a container at least 30 cm (12in) in diameter. A mature plant, grown in a sunken container, will occupy a space 45 cm (18in) square if well staked but still expect lanky growth that responds well to monthly trimming.