Verbena Flower Seeds Packet

Regular price $4.95
Vacuum Sealed
NON-GMO
Seed Pack Guarantee

Build Your Garden With These Shido Seeds

Choose a seed packet as your starting point, then round out the bed with these for that thrown-together-but-somehow-perfect harvest.


Verbena seeds grow into a low, spreading bloomer that flowers nonstop from late spring until the first real frost. Shido verbena seeds are non-GMO and hermetically vacuum-sealed — a reliable start for color that does not quit at the first heat wave — while standard paper-packed seeds lose germination viability within approximately one year.

It flowers nonstop from late spring straight through to the first real frost, without ever appearing to slow down to catch its breath. It tolerates heat and dry spells that send other bloomers into a sulk, and simply keeps flowering through conditions that stop the rest of the border cold. It simply refuses to notice that everything else nearby has already stopped for the season. Reflected heat off pavement and thin, rocky ground do little to slow it, and it simply keeps producing color regardless. Every packet ships germination-tested at independent third-party labs before packaging.

Seed specifications
  • Material: Seed
  • Botanical name: Verbena x Hybrida
  • Genus: Verbena
  • Plant family: Verbenaceae
  • Species: hybrida
  • Plant type: Annual
  • Pollination type: Flowers
  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–11
  • Packet contents: ≈ 20 Seeds
  • Packaging: Hermetically vacuum-sealed
  • Non-GMO: Yes
  • Seed viability: Up to 10 years (sealed) / 4–5 years (unsealed, ideal conditions)
  • Difficulty: Moderate - Recreational Gardener
Sowing & growing guide

Quick Sowing Guide:

  • When to sow: 10-12 wks before last frost indoors
  • Sowing depth: Surface sow, keep dark until germination
  • Initial spacing: 8-12 in
  • Row spacing: 12-18 in
  • Days to germination: 14-21 days
  • Light: Full sun
  • Water: Low to moderate
  • Soil: Well-drained, average soil
  • Harvest: 70-90 days to bloom

Start Growing: Step-by-step sowing and growing guide

About vacuum sealing

Why Vacuum-Sealed Seeds Last Longer

Standard paper seed packets are permeable to oxygen and moisture -- the two primary causes of seed degradation. Most paper-packaged seeds begin losing germination viability after approximately one year, contributing to significant garden-industry waste: packets purchased, not planted, expired, discarded. Shido Seeds are hermetically vacuum-sealed. The packet does not expire quietly in a drawer. It waits.

About the Packaging

Every Shido seed packet is illustrated in the style of Japanese 1910s woodblock printing -- designed and drawn in-house by Chive, that has been exhibiting at the Chelsea Flower Show in London every year and does not, as a matter of principle, sell to big-box retailers. Customers collect the packets as a series. This was not the original plan.

Shipping & returns

Shipping

  • Free shipping: Orders $200+ within the US
  • Standard: 5–8 business days, Express 2–3 business days (at checkout)
  • International Ships: to 40 countries — rates at checkout
  • Packaging Ships: in outer box to protect gift box

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Returns

We accept returns within 30 days of delivery on unused items in original packaging. If your piece arrives damaged, contact us within 7 days with a photo and we will replace it at no charge.

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Satisfaction Guarantee

We stand by the quality of our flower seed packets! Every Shido seed packet is lab-tested for germination before it ships. If your seeds do not perform to the stated germination rate under correct growing conditions, contact us and we will replace or refund. Guaranteed!

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Radish Horticultural Specifications

Botanical

Verbena x Hybrida

Plant Type

Annual

Light

Full sun

Water

Low to moderate

Soil

Well-drained, average soil

Depth

Surface sow, keep dark until germination

Germination

14-21 days

USDA Zone

3–11

Mature Height

8-18 in

Harvest

70-90 days to bloom


The Story Behind This Packet

Verbena seeds have been part of the Shido lineup since the collection first opened, grown into a low, spreading bloomer that flowers nonstop from late spring until the first real frost. Every packet is illustrated in the style of early-1900s Japanese woodblock printing, drawn in-house rather than licensed, which means the artwork on this packet exists nowhere else. The seeds themselves are hermetically vacuum-sealed, a packaging choice that has as much to do with the garden as the growing does: a standard paper packet starts losing viability within about a year, while a vacuum seal holds that line for years longer, so the packet in a drawer is still a packet worth planting whenever the moment actually arrives. Shido treats the seed itself as worth that extra step, on the theory that a gardener who buys verbena seeds deserves a packet that is still viable whenever they finally get around to using it, not just the season they bought it.


History & origin

Native Range

Native primarily to the Americas, from North American grasslands to South American plains, with a few species native to southern Europe.

Ancient Naming

The genus name comes from the Latin verbena, referring to sacred leaves or boughs — laurel, olive, or myrtle — used by Roman priests in religious ceremonies and altar sacrifices.

Ancient Reverence

According to the Roman writer Pliny the Elder, no plant was more highly revered by the Romans than verbena; it later carried protective folklore through medieval Europe, believed to ward off curses and evil spirits.

Today

Grown worldwide as a heat-tolerant garden and container plant, valued for its long bloom season and strong appeal to butterflies and hummingbirds.

Shido Vegetable and Flower Seeds Vacuum sealed for peak freshness

Step-by-Step Sowing & Growing Guide

Getting Started

Step 1: Timing - Start indoors 10-12 weeks before last frost — verbena is slow to germinate.

Step 2: Soil - Well-drained, average soil.

Step 3: Sowing - Surface sow and cover the tray to keep seed in darkness, since verbena germinates best without light.

Step 4: Germination - 14-21 days.

Step 5: Transplant - Space 8-12 inches apart after hardening off.

Before you start

Materials needed to sow

  • Seed trays: For the 10-12 week indoor start.
  • Seed-starting mix: A light, well-drained mix.
  • Opaque tray cover or dark location: Verbena germinates best in darkness.

Materials for harvest and storage

  • Scissors: For light cutting or deadheading spent flower clusters.
  • Small basket: For collecting the harvest.

Tip: Deadhead spent flower clusters regularly to keep new blooms coming.

Growth Requirements

Light:

  • Prefers full sun (at least 6-8 hours per day) for optimal blooming.

Soil:

  • Thrives in well-drained, sandy, or loamy soil with a pH between 5.8 and 7.2.
  • Avoid heavy clay soils that retain too much moisture.

Watering:

  • Requires moderate watering but is highly drought-tolerant once established.
  • Water at the base to prevent fungal diseases.

Temperature & Climate:

  • Thrives in warm temperatures (60-85°F / 16-29°C).
  • Some perennial varieties can withstand mild frost, but most are grown as annuals in cooler climates.

Fertilization:

  • Apply a balanced, low-nitrogen fertilizer every 4-6 weeks to encourage blooms.
  • Too much nitrogen can lead to excessive leaf growth with fewer flowers.

Maintenance

Watering:

  • Water young plants regularly until they establish roots.
  • Once mature, water only when the soil is dry.

Pruning & Deadheading:

  • Remove spent flowers (deadhead) to encourage continuous blooming.
  • Trim back leggy growth to maintain a compact shape.

Mulching:

  • Apply a thin layer of mulch around plants to retain moisture and suppress weeds.

Fertilization:

  • Use a liquid fertilizer every 4-6 weeks for prolonged flowering.

Troubleshooting and common mistakes

  • Sowing seed in bright light: Verbena germinates best in darkness — trays left uncovered often show poor germination.
  • Overwatering: Verbena prefers to dry out somewhat between waterings and is prone to powdery mildew and root rot in consistently wet conditions.
  • Poor air circulation: Crowded plantings are far more prone to mildew.

Culinary uses & nutritional information

What it's used for

1. Ornamental Landscaping:

  • Verbena is commonly used for ground covers, hanging baskets, rock gardens, and border plantings.
  • Their continuous blooming habit makes them a top choice for colorful summer gardens.

2. Medicinal & Herbal Uses:

  • Some species, like blue vervain (Verbena hastata), are used in traditional herbal medicine for relaxation and stress relief.

3. Pollinator Gardens:

  • Verbena attracts essential pollinators, making it ideal for butterfly and bee gardens.

4. Drought-Resistant Gardens:

  • Due to their low water needs, Verbenas are excellent for xeriscaping and dry landscapes.

What parts are edible

Nutritional data

Companion plants, pests & diseases

Companion planting

Good companions

  • Petunias, lantana — shares heat and drought tolerance for mixed containers and borders
  • Zinnias — compatible bloom season

Poor companions / avoid

  • Consistently wet, shaded beds — verbena needs full sun and good drainage to avoid powdery mildew and root rot

Pests

  • Spider mites: Fine webbing on undersides of leaves, worse in hot, dry conditions.
  • Aphids: Cluster on new growth. Strong water spray or insecticidal soap.
  • Whiteflies: Common in greenhouse or indoor-started plants. Yellow sticky traps and insecticidal soap.

Diseases

  • Powdery mildew: White powdery coating on leaves — a very common verbena issue in poor air circulation. Improve airflow and avoid overhead watering.
  • Root rot: Soft, blackened roots from overwatering or poor drainage. Allow soil to dry between waterings.
  • Leaf spot: Dark, irregular spots on foliage, worse in wet conditions. Remove affected leaves and avoid overhead watering.

Pro Tip

For continuous blooms, deadhead spent flowers and feed with a balanced fertilizer.

Bonus: Verbena attracts butterflies and bees, making it a great choice for a pollinator-friendly garden!

Vegetable sprouting in rich dark soil - Shido Seeds
Seeds worth keeping

What makes Shido Seeds different

Shido Seeds are designed by Chive Studio, a ceramic design company. We are not a seed conglomerate. We do not sell through big-box retailers. Each variety in the catalog was selected because it is worth growing — not because it ships well in bulk or photographs well in marketing materials.

Every packet is germination-tested at an independent third-party lab before it earns its woodblock illustration. The vacuum seal removes the oxygen that causes standard paper packets to degrade. The stated germination rate is a floor, not a marketing figure.

If something goes wrong, contact us. We will make it right.

Plants that Grow together look good together...even if they are ceramic

More From the Shido Garden

Every Shido variety belongs to a wider garden of vacuum-sealed packets, each illustrated in-house. Oxalis makes a natural companion to verbena, sharing the same easy place in a Shido garden without repeating it.

Vegetable Shido Seeds packets — by Chive Studio Toronto

Explore the Full Flower Seeds Collection

Shido Seeds spans flowers, vegetables, herbs, houseplants, and fruit & berry varieties, all sealed for lasting germination. Find verbena among the rest of the Shido Seed Flowers Collection, Shido's full lineup of vacuum-sealed varieties.

Ceramic Flowers That Never Wilt

Chive also makes ceramic flowers that never need water, sun, or a growing season of their own. Growing Verbena means waiting out a season; Chive's Medium Flower Chocolate Mint skips the wait entirely.

Chive Shido seed packets with botanical illustrations on a peg rack, showing cherry blossom, tomato, and eggplant designs.

The credentials behind the packet

Chive Studio started as a ceramics workshop and grew, one collection at a time, into seeds, vases, and everything else now carrying its name. Shido Seeds is the newest branch of that same tree, built on the belief that a seed packet deserves the same attention to material and design as a ceramic vase does. That is why every variety, verbena included, ships vacuum-sealed rather than paper-packed, and why the packaging is illustrated rather than merely printed.


Plant Care, Simplified with Chive

Keep it alive, keep it thriving. Let's make plant parenthood look easy.

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  • 5 stars: 2 (67%)
  • 4 stars: 1 (33%)
  • 3 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 2 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 1 star: 0 (0%)
P
Phillip Granger
Bright Garden Border

Verbena sprouted fine, filled in along my walkway with lots of color. Needed some sun but once they got it, blooms all summer long.

K
Karen Fahrion
Spreads color around

Verbena spread across my garden with pretty purple flowers. Easy to grow but needed some deadheading.

S
Sheila R.
Blooms All Summer

Wow, what a pop of color! Filled up my border nice. Kept blooming n’ blooming all summer long.

Frequently asked questions

How long do verbena seeds last in the packet?

Verbena seeds stay viable far longer than a standard paper packet allows. Shido seals every packet hermetically, removing the oxygen and moisture that cause paper-packed seeds to lose germination viability within about a year. That difference matters most for a gardener who buys ahead of a season rather than the week they plant, since a vacuum-sealed packet is still good years after a paper one would have quietly failed.

Is verbena easy to grow from seed?

Verbena grows into a low, spreading bloomer that flowers nonstop from late spring until the first real frost, and most gardeners find it manageable from seed once they know what it actually wants. It is not a fussy plant so much as a specific one, with its own timing and its own preferences, and once those are respected it tends to perform reliably rather than dramatically.

Can verbena seeds be started indoors?

Yes, verbena seeds can be started indoors under a grow light or on a bright windowsill several weeks before the outdoor season begins, then hardened off gradually before transplanting. Starting indoors gives the plant a head start on a shorter growing season and lets a gardener control moisture and temperature more precisely than an outdoor bed allows.

Are verbena seeds non-GMO?

Yes. Every packet of Shido verbena seeds is non-GMO, sourced and packaged without any genetic modification at any stage. That commitment runs across the entire Shido Seeds catalog, not just this variety, and it is one of the reasons the seeds are vacuum-sealed rather than paper-packed: the extra step protects a seed that was already grown to a higher standard than the packet price might suggest.

What is the best time of year to plant verbena seeds?

Timing depends on your climate, but most gardeners plant verbena seeds once the risk of a hard frost has passed and the soil has had a chance to warm. Cooler-climate gardeners often start seeds indoors a few weeks earlier to compensate for a shorter outdoor season. Checking your specific USDA zone against the packet's sowing notes is the most reliable way to time it correctly for your particular garden.

Does verbena attract pollinators to the garden?

Many gardeners choose verbena seeds specifically for the pollinator activity it brings in, since a blooming garden tends to draw bees, butterflies, and other visitors that a bare bed simply does not. Verbena fits comfortably into that role alongside most of the flowering varieties in the Shido lineup, adding both color and activity to a border without requiring any special pollinator-specific care on your part.

How much sun does verbena need to thrive?

Most Shido flower varieties, verbena included, perform best with several hours of direct sun each day, though tolerance varies by species and garden conditions can shift that somewhat. A spot that gets strong morning light and a bit of afternoon shade often works well as a middle ground for gardeners unsure of their exact conditions, and the packet's specific guidance is worth checking before choosing a permanent spot.

What makes Shido verbena seeds different from a standard seed packet?

The seed inside is the same species you would find anywhere, but the packaging is not: Shido seals every packet hermetically rather than in ordinary paper, which is why the seeds hold their germination rate for years longer than a standard packet manages. Shido is available at the Philadelphia Flower Show, where Chive has exhibited six times.

Verte Rx Shiny Leaves for Plants - Chive Ceramics Studio - Chive Ceramics Studio

The seed is the start. Verte RX handles the rest.

Most seedlings fail not from bad seed but from soil that runs out of what the plant needs before the plant can find it. Verte RX is a liquid plant vitamin formulated for exactly that window — the weeks after germination when the root system is establishing and the margin between thriving and stalling is narrowest.