Pruning 'Homestead Purple' Verbena: Cut Hard in March for Summer Blooms

Your verbena got hammered by winter. Good news: it blooms on new growth. Here's the annual routine:

March Maintenance

1. Shear the whole plant to 3 inches tall.
2. Chop through the mat in several places with a shovel or knife to stimulate fresh growth from the center.

Why This Works

Verbena forms a "purple doughnut"—blooms on the edges, dead center. Hard pruning + chopping resets it. You'll get flowers from April to October.

Don't Be Timid

This plant wants to be cut back. Leave it alone, and you'll get a woody, sparse mess. Whack it, and it rewards you.