Rose Verbena is a herbaceous perennial native to North Carolina and can be found from VA south to FL. In nature, it grows along roadsides, sandhills, or other dry, especially sandy soils. The plant is a low-growing mound that spreads along the ground and roots at nodes. The showy blooms are in clusters of many small rose-pink to purple flowers. The flowers are present spring through fall and deadheading will help keep the plant compact and attractive. In the north, it can be grown as an annual. It is drought and salt tolerant but may be damaged by deer. It is a short-lived perennial and will self-seed in the right conditions. Plant Rose Verbena in well-drained soils in full sun and use as a ground cover, in a rock garden, in a container or in the front of the border to add season-long color. Cultivars and hybrids are available in various colors of pink, purple, red and white. It may be difficult to find the straight species in the trade. Wildlife Value: Flowers are very attractive to butterflies. Quick ID Decumbent herb with opposite, pinnately lobed leaves Inflorescence congested spike resembling an umbel flowers salverform purplish Calyx cylindrical with subulate lobes Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: Some cultivars have shown good to excellent resistance to phytophthora or abiotic disorder.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 8 in. - 1 ft. 6 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Horizontal; Mounding; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous; Semi-evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Obovate
Leaf margin
Dentate; Lobed
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
The leaves are 2–4" long and ¾–3" across, becoming more narrow and slightly shorter as they ascend the stems. The leaves are often deeply to moderately divided into 3 primary lobes which are then divided into smaller secondary lobes with coarse teeth.
Flower color
Pink; Purple/Lavender
Flower value
Long Bloom Season; Showy
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
A dome-shaped cluster of 10-25 flowers up to 2½" across is produced at the apex of each spike. Each flower is about ¾" long and ½" across. Blooms April to Sept. in NC.
Bloom time
Fall; Spring; Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
4 nutlets per flower appear after bloom time. In North Carolina, fruits are available from July to September.
Stem color
Green; Purple/Lavender
Stem detail
Stems creep along the surface, turned upward at ends; lateral branches ascending.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
North America
Distribution
AL , AR , CO , CT , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , NE , NM , OH , OK , PA , SC , TN , TX , VA , WI , WV
Wildlife value
Nectar from the flowers attracts butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators. Birds enjoy the fruits as a food source.