Verbena hastata 'Alba'

RHS Plant Profile
blue vervain 'Alba'

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Upright, clump-forming perennial to 1.2m, with branching stems and toothed leaves. From early summer to early autumn it produces candelabra-like flower spikes bearing numerous tiny, saucer-shaped white flowers; these are good for cutting

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

1-1.5 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.5-1 metres
Max Height
1-1.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay 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)
H5

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Verbenaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
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. Cut back to ground level in early spring

Propagation

Propagate by division

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Architectural
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Prairie planting
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Cut flowers
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews