VERBENA LITORALIS

Description

This intriguing, rather tall plant has strong, square-sectioned, dividing stems bearing heads of many pinkish-blue flowers, and thick rough leaves and is ideal for a hot spot or very back of border where the flowers can do of their best. Although it comes from the beaches and hills of Hawaii, and is native to the Americas from Mexico south through Central and South America to Argentina and Chile, it seems to be perfectly hardy in the cold UK!

Sowing Advice

For best results, sow immediately onto a good soil-based compost. Cover the seeds with fine grit or compost to approximately their own depth. They can be sown at any time, and germination can sometimes be quicker if kept at 15 to 20 degrees C. We sow most seeds in an unheated greenhouse and wait for natural germination, as many seeds have built-in dormancy mechanisms, often waiting for natural spring germination, hence giving them a full season of growth.

Key Facts