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GENERAL
Origin
:
sub-tropical
Vigour
:
fairly fast
growing
Humidity
:
semi-humid, very
humid, extremely
humid
Propagation :
sowing and
pricking out,
cuttings
Maintenance :
moderate
CONDITIONS
Urban climate :
vulnerable
Dessication :
vulnerable
Stagnant water :
vulnerable
Irrigation
:
medium
Salinity/ppm :
moderate (2000
ppm)
Hardiness
:
+3°C
SHAPE
Type
:
perennial
Height
:
0.1 m-0.15 m
Spread
:
0.4 m-1 m
Foliage
:
evergreen
FLOWER
Colour
:
purple
Size
:
0.5 cm - 1 cm
Period
:
April - September
FRUIT
Type of fruit :
capsule
Fruit size
:
0.2 cm
A wide range of Vervains are grown seasonally for their colourful floral display. This Moss Ver-
vain is a ground-hugging perennial from tropical and subtropical south America with finely
dissected, evergreen foliage and terminal clusters of tubular flowers. In spring, the flowers appear
in hues of white, lilac, purple and violet, and in Arriyadh they often re-bloom after summer when
temperatures fall. The flowers are heavily visited by butterflies. The plants thrive in fertile soils
that drain well, either exposed to full sun or with some shade. With lack of light, they grow less
dense, forming some upright shoots up to about 15 cm. They make excellent groundcovers to
accompany roses, or for spilling over edges. In open ground, they take heat if watered frequently,
and appropriate irrigation is also required to thrive in containers. The mossy covers are attrac-
tive on slopes where they contrast with boulders and upright plants. Usually fast-growing plants,
they respond to ongoing drought with stagnant growth, burnt leaf edges or loss of the plants
altogether. Moss Vervains do not tolerate frost, but low temperatures are accepted, sometimes
leading to reddish foliage without damage. Propagation is done commercially by sowing, but is
also possible by cuttings or division, since the stems root where they touch the ground. Since the
plants are rarely infested by pests and diseases, maintenance is limited to weeding until the plants
become established. Fertiliser is best applied by slow-releasing granules in the spring and autumn.
307
Verbena tenuisecta,
Verbenaceae
Moss Vervain