How to Grow Verbena in Pots & Hanging Baskets

Use this guide to learn to grow these vibrant flowering plants in containers for months of continuous color

Contributors: Janet Loughrey

verbena in pots

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Whether you live in a tiny city apartment or on a spacious suburban property, growing plants in decorative pots and hanging baskets is a great way to add instant color to a balcony, patio, deck, porch or entryway. Verbena is one of the best ornamental plants for containers, with an exceptionally long flowering period from late spring until the first hard frost.

Annual or perennial verbenas come in upright, mounding or trailing forms, with flower colors ranging from snowy white to deep purple. Provide verbena plants with regular water and fertilizer, and they will reward you with months of beautiful color in your outdoor living spaces.

HOW TO CARE FOR VERBENA IN POTS & HANGING BASKETS

Potted verbenas perform best with regular maintenance. Follow these verbena care tips for pots and hanging baskets.

When to plant

Verbena grows during the warmer months of late spring, summer and early fall. Plant verbena outdoors after all danger of frost is past in your growing region.

Light

Verbenas can be grown in full sun for optimal flowering and performance. Place pots or hanging baskets in a location that receives at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sun every day.

Soil

Verbena planted in pots and hanging baskets performs best in well-drained soil. Use a high-quality all-purpose potting mix rather than garden soil. Proven Winners^® Premium Potting Soil is formulated to give your verbena plants all the ingredients they need to thrive.

Water

Keep soil slightly moist, but not soggy. Overwatering can cause root rot or powdery mildew. Verbena can tolerate some drought. Allow the top 1-2 inches of soil to dry out in between waterings.

Fertilizer

Verbenas planted in pots and hanging baskets need more frequent fertilizing than those in the ground. At the time of planting, add Proven Winners^® Premium Continuous Plant Food to potting soil according to instructions. After about 8 weeks, start to feed with Proven Winners^® Premium Water Soluble Plant Food once every ten days to two weeks to promote lush foliage and continuous flowering.

Pruning

If verbena plants outgrow their containers or become too leggy, they can be pruned back to control their size and promote branching, which will result in more flowers. Lightly trim back plants by no more than a third of their size. Deadhead spent verbena flowers to neaten plant appearance and encourage new flower buds.

Pests and diseases

Verbena plants are free of most pest and diseases. Provide good air circulation in humid environments to prevent powdery mildew on foliage. If spider mites or other pests are present, rinse plants with water or treat with insecticidal soap.

Choosing the right pot or hanging basket

Verbena grows well in pots, hanging baskets and window boxes. Choose containers based on function, style, color and budget. Make sure pots have adequate drainage holes in the bottom to prevent standing water and root rot. Use verbena varieties that coordinate with your containers and outdoor color scheme.

PLANTING VERBENA IN POTS & HANGING BASKETS

Here’s how to plant verbena in containers.

Fill pots and hanging baskets with potting soil up to a few inches below the rim.
Remove verbena plants from nursery pots and gently loosen soil around the root ball.
For each plant, scoop out a hole in the soil that is slightly wider than the root ball.
Place plants in the holes so the top of the root ball is 1-2 inches below the container rim.
Add additional potting soil to fill in around plants and gently tamp down to remove air pockets.
Water plants until moisture comes out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot.

BEST VERBENA FOR POTS & HANGING BASKETS

Verbena comes in different flower colors, plant sizes and forms. Commonly grown types of verbena include:

Purpletop verbena (Verbena bonariensis) is a tender perennial with spiky purple flowers and an upright bushy habit. This structural plant can be used as a background element in garden beds and borders. Compact varieties can be grown in containers.

Garden verbena (Verbena x hybrida), is the most common type. Most often grown as annuals, garden verbena has a mounding or trailing habit with white, red, purple, peach or pink flowers. This type is especially suited to containers.

Tuberous verbena (Verbena rigida), a tender perennial or annual, is exceptionally heat tolerant and humidity tolerant, making it a good choice for southern climates. Plants have a compact bushy habit suitable as a filler in pots and hanging baskets.

Try these Proven Winner varieties:

Superbena Royale^® Plum Wine

Superbena^® Peachy Keen

Superbena^® Red

Superbena^® Whiteout^™

Superbena Sparkling^® Amethyst

Superbena^® Stormburst

Cake Pops^® Purple

Meteor Shower^®

FAQs

Can you grow verbena in pots?

Verbena plants are especially suited to being grown in pots. Using trailing types as a “spiller” element and mounding types as a “filler,” by themselves or in combination with other plants.

What to plant with verbena in pots?

This versatile flowering plant combines well with other container plants with similar growing needs such as angelonia, bidens, cuphea, heliotrope, lobelia, calibrachoa, nemesia, petunia and sweet alyssum.

Is verbena good for hanging baskets?

Use verbena as a trailing or mounding accent in hanging baskets by itself or in combination with other plants. For the greatest visual impact, combine complementary or contrasting colors. See more hanging basket flowers.

How do you care for potted verbena?

Verbena plants in pots need regular maintenance, as water and nutrients leach out more quickly than for plants in the ground. For the best performance, water and fertilize plants regularly according to instructions.

How many verbena in a hanging basket?

The amount of plants per verbena hanging basket depends on the type of plant and size of the hanging basket. A general guideline for standard 4-inch sized plants is three to four plants per 10 to 12-inch basket, four to six plants for a 14 to 16-inch basket, and six to eight plants in a 16 to 20-inch basket. This spacing will allow plants to create a lush, full look without becoming overcrowded.

How do you keep verbena blooming all summer?

To keep verbena plants blooming continuously, make sure they are regularly watered and fertilized and provide a site that remains in full sun throughout the growing season.

Can verbena get too much sun?

Verbena plants flower best with at least 6 to 8 hours of full sun per day. If plants are wilting or leaves are turning yellow, your verbena plants may be getting too much sun. In warmer climates, provide light shade during the hottest part of the day to prevent leaf scorch or containers from drying out too quickly.