‘De La Mina’ Verbena

Common name: 'De La Mina' verbena

Botanical name:Verbena lilacina 'De La Mina'

Virtues: Flowers attract butterflies. Fragrant flowers. Long bloom time (can be year-round). Highly tolerant of drought and a quick grower.

Flowers: Clusters of dark purple, fragrant, star-shaped flowers appear on stems that extend 8 inches from the plant's silhouette. Can bloom year-round.

Foliage: Narrow, medium green leaves stay on the plant year-round.

Habit: Evergreen perennial/subshrub to 3 feet tall and wide.

Season: Year-round; peak of bloom is spring and summer.

Origin: Carol Bornstein, a horticulturist with the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, selected this plant from a wild population growing on Cedros Island, off the west coast of Baja California. Introduced to the trade by the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.

Cultivation: Grow in full sun and well-drained soil, in the ground or in large containers. Drought tolerant. Will also tolerate heavier soils. USDA Zones 7–10.

Read landscape designer Susan Morrison's notes on 'De La Mina' verbena.

Image courtesy of Monrovia

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Identify the butterflies in your garden with the Peterson Flash Guide to Butterflies.

Avoid flower gaps—read Continuous Bloom: A Month-By-Month Guide to Nonstop Color in the Perennial Garden.

Mix and match with the best—see Perennial Combinations by C. Colston Burrell.

Plan your garden with the Perennial Garden Wheel, a 3-D tool for less than $8.