How to take verbena cuttings

How to take verbena cuttings

Learn how to propagate verbena from cuttings, in our detailed guide.

A table displaying which months are best to sow, plant and harvest.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
To do
To do

Do not To do in January

Do not To do in February

Do not To do in March

Do not To do in April

Do not To do in May

Do not To do in June

Do To do in July

Do To do in August

Do To do in September

Do not To do in October

Do not To do in November

Do not To do in December

Bedding verbenas are versatile and long-lasting, with many species flowering well into autumn. Native to South America, few are fully hardy, so it’s a good idea to take cuttings to insure against winter losses.

Summer is the ideal time to take verbena cuttings. Overwinter them in a frost-free place and you’ll have a fresh, healthy supply of verbena plants next year to replace any in the garden that have been killed by frost.

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You Will Need

  • Verbena plants
  • Sharp knife
  • 10cm pots
  • Multi-purpose compost
  • Hormone rooting powder
  • Polythene bag
  • Rubber bands
  • compo

Total time:

Step 1

Take cuttings in the morning when shoots are at their firmest. Choose non-flowering side shoots from either side of the main stem.

How to take verbena cuttings - taking cuttings in the morning
How to take verbena cuttings – taking cuttings in the morning

Step 2

Trim below a leaf joint to take a cutting about 7.5cm long. Carefully remove lower leaves so that the cutting has a length of bare stem that can be cleanly inserted into the compost.

How to take verbena cuttings - trimming the leaf joint
How to take verbena cuttings – trimming the leaf joint

Step 3

Dip the cut end of the stem into rooting hormone mixture to encourage root development.

How to take verbena cuttings - using hormone rooting powder
How to take verbena cuttings – using hormone rooting powder

Step 4

Fill a 7cm pot with gritty compost and insert up to five verbena cuttings into the compost around the edge of the pot. Water well.

How to take verbena cuttings - inserting the cuttings into gritty compost
How to take verbena cuttings – inserting the cuttings into gritty compost

Step 5

Pop the pot inside a clear polythene bag and seal it with a rubber band. Place in a warm bright position, but protect from scorching sunshine. After six weeks, check for signs of white roots growing through the drainage holes in the base of the pot. When these are visible, pot each cutting up separately.

How to take verbena cuttings - covering with a clear polythene bag
How to take verbena cuttings – covering with a clear polythene bag
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Pot on cuttings into 7.5cm pots, as these are a more convenient size to overwinter than larger plants and more successful than lifting established plants.

Plug plant cut out