As we enter the dark days of winter, I begin plotting and planning new plantings for the upcoming growing season. Though the skies may be gray and gloomy, my imagination is in full technicolor! In some ways, it's the thinking about and fantasizing about plants that's more exciting than the actual activity.
Like so many of my plant love affairs, I first fell in love with this cute creeping verbena when I worked at Plant Delights. A couple of years ago I planted a clump in my own garden, and it has proven to be tough-as-nails and easy to propagate. I love plants that don't require much effort. It simply wants to live and be beautiful.
Red creeping verbena, also known as Verbena or Glandularia peruviana is a short little ground cover for dry sunny areas. Because of its diminutive size, it really looks best planted towards the edge of a flower bed. I've also used it as a "spiller" plant cascading out of large containers. It mingles well with others without overpowering them.
In my mom's garden, I have it amongst the rocks lining my front border. There it mingles with other dwarf plants like crocus, rain lilies, and sedums. Everywhere it touches it roots! This is another reason I love it so much. All ll I have to do is cut off rooted segments to either pot up or give to friends. I've propagated countless divisions this way.
Red carpet verbena blooms sporadically throughout the spring and summer, yet it seems, at least to me, to peak in late April.
Despite not being native, this is a great plant for attracting our native butterflies! Hummingbirds have also been observed feeding on the nectar-rich flowers, yet I've never witnessed this.
Like most verbenas, V. peruviana, remains semi-evergreen during the winter and really shouldn't be pruned much during the cold months. When it starts looking "tired" and covered in dried/ dead foliage, I'd suggest a good pruning, but I'd wait until it is in active growth. I've killed verbenas with harsh winter pruning.
This is a plant that is native to dry harsh conditions, but it seems to do well in my rich loamy soil with average moisture. I think it is a generalist that it would survive anywhere as long as it isn't shaded out or in mucky wet soil. If you want vibrant red ground cover for sunny areas, you can't beat this treasure.
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