cutting verbena

Hi Guys just wondering when best time to cut back verbena (tall plant little purple flower heads) I,ve left mine alone but some one says should have cut back in spring clean up, do like to see the frost on them, been told to do it now bit reluctant to do now incase they get frost bitten any suggestions as to best time cheers weedy

 

I cut mine back last autumn. I also bought another one end of last year and the nursery had already cut it back to about half a foot from the top of the pot.
I think verbena is fairly hardy so any frost won't harm it. As a perennial, the new growth will be starting to show soon, so the old growth really needs to go first.

 

"the new growth will be starting to show soon, so the old growth really needs to go first"

Yup, that would be my concern too. I leave a few inches of "spiky stuff" so I know where they are, and to protect the new shoots a bit, but other than that they get cut down "between Autumn and about now"

 

Its only 95% hardy here. I am in Harrogate just three miles from RHS Harlow Carr. Three years ago they had a new curator. He planted a large area of Verbena bonariensis which was cut back in the autumn. I was interested to see that all their verbena died over the winter, but all mine which were not cut back till the spring survived. It may have been nothing to do with the early cut back, but it reinforced my inclination not to cut it back until spring.

However, even if all the plants do die, Verbena has this wonderful habit of self seeding freely. And the Harlow Carr area was again covered in Verbena the next year, but from seedlings.

Like you I like to leave plants such as this for their winter interest, but it will need to be cut back in (say) March.

 

Ive never had a problem cutting them back around now to tidy, however in an exposed location perhaps better to wait till the spring.

 

mine are cut in winter but as they self seed (with a bit of help) Ive never had a problem. What a plant to use through a bed. i keep loads but not large ones for Autumn colour. What ever I've tried it works !.