Houston's favorite garden center devoted to Texas native plants and organic gardening.
Botanical name: Verbena lilacina ‘De La Mina’
A mounded plant with very fine, dissected foliage and clusters of fragrant purple flowers that rise up nearly year round, with its peak in spring and summer; drought tolerant, but water occasionally to keep looking lush; great for containers.
Other names: Purple Cedros Island Verbena
| Hardiness zone | 8b |
|---|---|
| Flower color | purple |
| Foliage type | evergreen |
| Plant form | mounded |
| Mature height | 3 feet |
| Spread | 4 feet |
| Light requirements | full sun to partial shade |
| Moisture requirements | dry to moist |
| Plant origin | North American native |
De La Mina Verbena is bathed in stunning clusters of fragrant purple flowers rising above the foliage from mid spring to mid fall. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its attractive deeply cut narrow leaves remain green in color throughout the year. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.
De La Mina Verbena is an herbaceous evergreen perennial with a mounded form. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.
This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.
De La Mina Verbena is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Mass Planting, Rock/Alpine Gardens, General Garden Use, Container Planting
De La Mina Verbena will grow to be about 30 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 3 feet apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years.
This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selection of a native North American species.
De La Mina Verbena is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
Our Monthly To-Do List For Your Garden
