Verbena hastata ‘Alba’

WHITE SPIRES VERVAIN

Verbena hastata ‘Alba’

WHITE SPIRES VERVAIN

Verbena hastata ‘Alba’ is quick & easy from seed and to grow.
Plus adds height and elegance in an airy way to any garden bed.

Candelabra heads of white torches

Candelabra heads of pure white flowers are borne on multi branching spires.

Exceptionally elegant plant

Verbena hastata ‘Alba’ is an exceptionally elegant plant – with its height and fine architectural branching shapes like candelabras.

Tall airy & misty – veils of white

Plants are tall, but airy and “see through”, creating a haze of white and fine branching stems.

Ideal for backgrounds or scattering through lower flowers

So Verbena hastata ‘Alba’ is ideal for planting as a misty background for flower beds.
Or for scattering through other, more dumpy shaped plants and shrubs – adding a touch of airy elegance.

Super long blooming over late spring-summer-autumn

White Vervain almost can’t be beaten for flower production, as the candelabras lengthen with more and more flowers over all the warm months.
And in warmer districts it can even extend blooming into winter.
Making Verbena hastata ‘Alba’ count as one of the longest blooming displays amongst perennial plants.

Elegant candelabras up but little wide

Height 60cm – 120cm with elegant branching stems like candelabras of white torches.
Width 40cm – 60cm approx.

Lovely cut flower

Long stems of candelabras can be cut to form a misty basis for large or small vases.
Making a lovely filler flower for florists.

Quick & easy from seed

Verbena hastata ‘Alba’ plants are quick and easy to grow from seed, and can even be scattered directly in the garden where you want them to grow.
Once you have plants going in the garden they will also self-seed and provide new babies each year for you or to share.
But don’t  worry – they are not invasive.

Easy hardy & low maintenance in the garden

Plants are very hardy, easy growers and low maintenance.
They are virtually pest and disease free.
And the only work to do is to cut them down if you wish to tidy up once the hard frosts have arrived.
Vervain are very low maintenance.

Heat & sun hardy

Verbena hastata ‘Alba’ prefers Full Sun positions (though it will also tolerate a little light shade for part of the day if necessary).
It absolutely shrugs off heat.

Water-wise plant

Plants have good drought resistance once established, and absolutely thrive and bloom their heads off on minimal to average garden watering during summer’s heat.

Super frost hardy

All colours of Verbena hastata are super frost hardy – they can resist frost down to approx. -30°C.

Not fussy about soil

Not fussy about soil, as long as it is well drained.
So Verbena hastata can tolerate sandy, loam or clay based soils, as long as they are not boggy for long periods (they hate being over-watered).
The Ph can be also be alkaline, neutral or acid.
And Vervain plants grow well in poor, infertile soils provided they are well drained and mulched.

Bees & pollinators love the 5 star nectar & pollen

The mass of white flowers are like a 5 star smorgasbord for bees and other useful pollinating insects.
So both native bees and honeybees, butterflies, and other tiny but useful insect pollinators – are richly fed and flock to Verbena hastata ‘Alba’.
And even our small honey-eating birds love foraging on the candelabra stems.

Rabbit & deer resistant

Verbena hastata ‘Alba’ has a bitter taste.
So rabbits and deer are not likely to touch it unless they are very hungry.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: QUICK & EASY

Seeds of Verbena hastata ‘Alba’ can be scattered directly in the garden in late autumn, so the cold of winter enhances the germination in spring.
OR
Sow indoors at any time that suitable temperatures can be provided (18-21°C)

Sow indoors for optimum germination and early plants: First sow the seeds in a punnet on good quality seed raising mix seed.

Now just lightly cover the seed with sieved mix or some fine vermiculite.
Because light is needed for seed germination.

Then thoroughly moisten the punnet by standing it in a shallow water bath, and allowing the moisture to percolate up to the surface of the mix from below.

You can choose to give a pretend winter or not

Now you can choose to give a “pretend winter” or not.
A period of chilling in the fridge does hasten germination and brings more seeds to germination earlier.
Or you can skip the chilling – then seeds will be slower to come and germination will be more scattered – some seeds will come first, then others later over an extended period. (This is a natural defence of the plant to give the babies a better sporting chance)

So give a pretend winter by wrapping the moist punnet in cling-wrap or a plastic bag, and placing in the fridge for 4-6 weeks.

Then bring out, unwrap, moisten again, and place in a warm, bright, well lit position (but not in any direct sunlight).

Temperatures of 18-21°C are best for optimum germination.
And you can use a heat mat if you have one to maintain consistent warmth.

Continue to keep the punnet consistently moist by misting with a spray water-bottle.

Seeds can begin to germinate in approx. 14 days after chilling.
But it is natural for some seeds to come later, and may begin in 90 days.
So patience – do not discard the punnet.

Now prick out any germinated seedlings as soon as they develop their first set of true leaves, and pot on to grow on and plant out into the garden. But keep the punnet for later germinators.

Seed Count: 150 seeds per pack approx.
(We always aim to exceed the stated seed count, and give a generous serve).

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