De La Mina Verbena

De La Mina Verbena (Verbena lilacina 'De La Mina')

De La Mina Verbena is a long-blooming, mounding perennial that brings a steady haze of purple color to sunny borders and water-wise plantings. It quickly forms a tidy mound that softens edges and fills gaps without looking messy. The lightly fragrant flowers draw pollinators and keep the garden feeling active through the warm season. Once established, it handles dry spells well, making it a dependable choice for low-fuss landscapes.

Distinctive Features

This plant forms an evergreen to semi-evergreen mound of finely cut, bright green foliage topped with slender stems of violet-purple to lavender-blue flower clusters. Bloom can run for months, often peaking from spring through summer and continuing into fall, especially with occasional supplemental water. The overall habit is airy and textured, with flowers hovering above the foliage for a light, cloud-like effect. It tolerates a range of soils as long as drainage is good, and a light shear after a heavy bloom period helps keep the mound compact and full.

Growing Conditions

• Sun: Full sun to part shade, with best flowering and the tightest habit in full sun.
• Soil: Well-drained soil, tolerant of sandy to clay soils when drainage is adequate.
• Water: Low to moderate water, drought tolerant once established, with occasional deep watering improving bloom in hot periods.
• USDA Zones: Zones 7 to 10.
• Mature Size: About 1 to 3 feet tall and about 2 to 4 feet wide.

Ideal Uses

• Focal Point: Mass it in a sunny bed where the long run of purple bloom becomes a clear seasonal highlight.
• Water-Wise Gardens: Use in dry borders where you want reliable color without high irrigation demands.
• Borders and Edges: Plant along paths and bed lines to create a soft, mounded ribbon of texture.
• Pollinator Plantings: Include in mixed beds to support butterflies and other beneficial visitors for months.
• Containers: Grow in large pots for an easy spill of bloom and a neat mound that stays attractive.
• Slopes: Use on sunny slopes where drainage is naturally sharper and maintenance needs to stay simple.

Low Maintenance Care

• Pruning: Lightly shear after a strong bloom flush to encourage fresh growth and keep the mound compact.
• Watering: Water deeply during extended drought for better flowering and cleaner foliage.
• Mulch: Use a light mulch to reduce weeds, keeping mulch off the crown for better air flow.
• Feeding: Feed sparingly, as overly rich soil can reduce flowering and loosen the habit.
• Deadheading: Remove spent stems for a tidier look and to encourage continued bloom.

Why Choose De La Mina Verbena?

• Long Bloom Season: Flowers for months, keeping color in the garden through the warm season.
• Water-Wise Performance: Handles dry conditions well once established, with improved bloom from occasional watering.
• Compact Mound: Forms a tidy shape that fits cleanly into borders and mixed plantings.
• Pollinator Friendly: Fragrant blooms attract butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects.
• Deer Resistance: Often less appealing to deer than many flowering perennials.

If you want dependable purple color with a neat, mounding habit, De La Mina Verbena is a strong choice. Give it sun and drainage, then keep it looking fresh with a light shear when blooms slow down. In return, you get a long season of flower color and a plant that fits naturally into both modern and classic landscape styles.