Verbena bonariensis 'Little Tommie'

RHS Plant Profile

purple top 'Little Tommie'

Herbaceous Perennial

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A dwarf, clump-forming perennial to 40cm tall. Upright, branching stems sparsely bear oblong green leaves which turn red in autumn, and clusters of small purple flowers from summer to autumn; these are a good nectar source for pollinating insects

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H4

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Verbenaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming, Columnar upright
Genus: Verbena can be annuals, perennials or sub-shrubs, with toothed or pinnately lobed leaves and small, usually 5-petalled, salver-shaped flowers, typically held in spikes or panicles, in summer or autumn
Name Status: Unresolved

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in moist but well-drained, moderately fertile soil in full sun. Add a deep, dry mulch at the onset of winter. Cut back to ground level in early spring. May have the potential to become a nuisance due to prolific self-seeding in not well managed

Propagation

Propagate by division

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Prairie planting
Wildlife gardens
City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Gravel garden
Patio and container plants
Flower borders and beds
Wall side borders

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, thrips and leafhoppers

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews