Vivacious verbena chosen plant of the year

This year, the National Garden Bureau has chosen verbena as its annual plant of the year. And what a great choice it is! For those who grow verbena — either on its own or as a trailing or centerpiece plant in patio and porch pots or hanging baskets — verbena is a bright and colorful, cheerful summer bloom.

One great thing about verbena is that it blooms in just about every color of the rainbow. There are verbenas that are near black and there are verbenas that are pure white — plus just about every color in between. There are also verbenas that are bi-colored, meaning their bloom contains two different colors.

While everyone is familiar with the classic trailing verbena that is often incorporated into hanging baskets and containers, there is also tall verbena to consider. Quite different in form and in flower, tall verbena grows upright, with narrow, wiry stems and pom-pom like clusters of purple and lavender blooms at the tip. This gives an amazing effect, especially when planted in large masses.

Tall verbena may grow 3 to 5 feet high. Its unusual growth form and tall, statuesque presence make it a must-have annual in the garden. As an added benefit, hummingbirds adore this plant, as do monarch butterflies.

Speaking of hummingbirds and monarchs, both of these, as well as many other butterfly species, are drawn to the colorful, vibrant blooms of trailing verbena. This makes it a favorite of gardeners to grow and plant specifically to attract pollinators and hummingbirds to their gardens.

Verbena does not need to be solely regulated to containers and hanging baskets. Plant it directly in the ground for a beautiful, mounding, sprawling mass of color all season long. Mix-and-match various colors, either complementing or contrasting, for a stunning display.

Whatever your color theme, there is a verbena for you. Pure white is one of my favorites, since it glows in the garden, day and night, as well as several that bloom in shades of salmon and apricot — hard to find colors in annual blooms.

Several new series of bi-colored verbenas are even more stunning. Many of these beauties bloom in rich, vibrant colors like scarlet, purple, pink and blue with a bright white center. Others bloom in softer pastel shades. This creates an amazing effect when masses of blooms trail over the side of a hanging basket or outdoor container.

While verbena does not require a lot of care, it should be placed in full sun and may need periodic deadheading of spent blooms. Simply pinch off flower heads when they begin to dry to encourage new flower clusters to appear within just a few weeks.

Because of its beautiful, trailing or cascading habit, bold and beautiful coloration, and habit of attracting hummingbirds and butterflies, verbena earns its place as the annual plant of the year.