Verbena plant. Planting and care.

Verbena is a beautiful perennial (but annual in our natural conditions) plant that adorns both our gardens and wildlands, along with nettles and tansy. In such places grow two of its different kinds. Pharmacy or wild verbena is the only species that we can meet in natural conditions and at moderate temperatures. The plant has been known for a long time and has been reflected in the culture of many civilizations, including the Roman one. Presumably, it was from there that the name we now known went: Verbena from herbe Veneris, or Venus grass. In our gardens grows most often a hybrid verbena, planting and caring for which is not so complicated. However, in general, there are more than two hundred and fifty varieties of this plant.

Hybrid verbena (photo) is a small herbaceous plant in height from 15 to 70 centimeters, with complex inflorescences consisting of 30-50 umbellate flowers of various colors, from white to dark red, violet, often with a light eye in the center. Blossom verbena hybrid from June until almost the end of October.

In addition to aesthetic, garden verbena has medicinal properties: it is used as infusions and decoctions in the treatment of certain diseases of the respiratory system: inflammation of the lungs, bronchitis, laryngitis; At illnesses of a liver. It is often used for both dental pain and hypotension of verbena. Its flower can be applied externally in the form of lotions for skin diseases: rash, purulent wounds, mumps, abscesses.

Verbena: planting and care

Seeds of this plant before planting do not need additional training. However, planting seedlings of verbena in the open ground is only when there is certainty that the heat will be stable, otherwise it will be better to wait until landing. Seeds are distributed over the surface of the soil, in no case should it be placed deep into the soil. At a temperature of about 20-30 degrees, sprouts appear only after a couple of days. After this, it should be ensured that the sprouts do not overheat so that they have enough moisture, but not an overabundance. And literally in a week there will be amicable shoots. During growth, verbena also does not prevent a couple of times to feed it with complex mineral fertilizers. That's all that requires at the beginning of verbena, planting and caring for her. In general, the plant is quite unpretentious, growing both in the sun and in places with a lack of heat and can withstand the temperature to -3 degrees. However, it is better to grow it in a sunny place, in a soil rich in humus. Water better in the morning, not too pouring, but not sparing the water. Although in hot season, like other flowers, it needs more moisture.

And in times of violent growth of weeds, more attention will be required by the unformed verbena. Planting and nursing presupposes constant weeding of the soil next to the bush in the period of its growth, however, as soon as the plant fully ripens and turns into a dense flowering carpet, this need completely disappears. Also, in particularly hot periods and after abundant watering, it is sometimes necessary to loosen the soil to let in air.