How to Grow Garden Verbena: Planting, Spacing, Care & Bloom

Garden verbena at a glance

PlantStart indoors: 12–9 wk before last frost; Transplant: last frost

SunFull sun; well-drained; tolerates droughty soil once established (Cornell/NC).

SpacingNC: height 6–18 in; width 6 in–2 ft.

Days to bloomBloom season July–Oct. (Purdue HO-80)

-13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1LF+1+2+3

■ Start indoors   ■ Plant out   ■ Harvest
Weeks relative to last frost (LF). Colored weeks show when our ZIP planner schedules each step.

Updated November 4, 2026

Sourced from university extension guides. For dates where you live, use the ZIP planting planner.

Planting timing

Cornell: “Start seeds indoors 10 to 12 weeks before the last spring frost. Cover the seed, as darkness aids germination.” (Cornell garden verbena) Purdue HO-14 lists 9 weeks as a lower bound. Tender bedding — plant after frost danger (MU/Illinois framing). Planner: Start indoors last frost −12 to −9; Transplant last frost 0.

Depth and spacing

NC: height 6–18 in; width 6 in–2 ft. Cornell: height about 0.3–1.5 ft; spread 0.5–2 ft. Cover seed (darkness — Cornell).

Sun, soil and water

Full sun; well-drained; tolerates droughty soil once established (Cornell/NC). Overwatering → root rot (NC).

Bloom

Mid-summer through fall (Cornell). All season if deadheaded (NC). Clusters about 3 inches of star-shaped flowers (NC).