anyone have experience growing Verbena?

[gringo]

Has anyone tried growing Verbena? I'm hoping it will be my experiment this year (always try to grow something new every year).

A cursory Google shows that there are loads of different types.

I want to dry the leaves, for use in cooking.

[mothhawk]

Whichverbena do you mean?

lemon verbena - Aloysia citrodora

vervain - verbena officinalis

garden verbena - verbena bonariensis

As far as I know only Aloysia citrodora is edible, but I could be wrong.

[roitelet]

Lemon verbena, easy and invasive!!!!!!

[gringo]

Lemon verbena, easy and invasive!!!!!!

This sounds good! I'll be growing in containers so hopefully the invasive won't be a problem (in fact, I enjoy having a few 'volunteers' about the place. Had loads of tomatillo and deullkae - Korean perilla- volunteers this year)

[roitelet]

Seeds itself and spreads on runners!

[elleme]

In my garden it's grown into a small shrub which is pretty well behaved. I found lemon balm (which I also like) invasive but not lemon verbena at all. The main thing to watch out for with verbena is that it can look pretty dead until quite late in spring, so when it loses leaves in the winter have some patience with it. I tend to cut for dried leaves about August or September and in a jar they'll keep their aroma really well all winter.

[gringo]

In my garden it's grown into a small shrub which is pretty well behaved. I found lemon balm (which I also like) invasive but not lemon verbena at all. The main thing to watch out for with verbena is that it can look pretty dead until quite late in spring, so when it loses leaves in the winter have some patience with it. I tend to cut for dried leaves about August or September and in a jar they'll keep their aroma really well all winter.

What type of thing do you use the leaves for? I'm hoping to use to flavour homemade pastes like Harissa.

[vixylix]

ooh I like the sound of this - I might try find some seeds!

[elleme]

What type of thing do you use the leaves for? I'm hoping to use to flavour homemade pastes like Harissa.

That sounds interesting, but all I tend to use it for is herb tea.

[ancee]

I bought a small lemon verbena plant from a garden centre for 50p. In about July. I have potted it on and potted it on. It's now enormous! Reminds me a bit of a buddlejia. But I thought they weren't hardy so it's been living in the greenhouse. Can I plant it in the garden then? It smells amazing like sherbet lemons, never known a plant with such a scent. I've used the leaves in lemon cakes but should really have used hem in more cooking. I will when I get more time.

[gringo]

Ok my plans for growing lemon verbana seems to have been thwarted this year as I cannot find ANY seed for sale. One site I looked at described the seed as 'dust-like' and I'm wondering if this is why it's not sold?

If anybody knows of anywhere selling seed, I'd be really grateful of details!

[spamvindaloo]

I've never seen Lemon verbena seed, only plants.

[lookbettertomorow]

My experience of Verbena Bonariensis (the tall one) is if planted/sown in very free draining meduim to light soil sheltered in full sun you will have it for ever, it also very easily self seeds. I grew it from seed several years ago and have to weed a lot out every year. It becomes a bit of a bully.

If however you try and grow it anywhere else, it won't have it at all. Zero, absolutely nothing. I have transplanted all over my garden and it totally refuses to grow anywhere other than where it is nice, and then it takes over. No middle road at all. I have even transplanted some in my daughter's garden and nothing, dead. Very fussy, must be female :-)