How to Grow Candy Stripe Verbena
Wikimedia Commons
Candy Stripe Verbena
Glandularia pulchella 'Candy Stripe'
flowerCandy Stripe Verbena is a compact, spreading annual or tender perennial with vibrant pink and white striped flowers that bloom profusely throughout warm months. This cultivar is prized for its eye-catching bicolor blooms and low-maintenance growth habit, making it ideal for containers, borders, and hanging baskets.
When should you plant Candy Stripe Verbena in your zone?
Get a personalized planting timeline — when to start seeds, transplant, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Free to start.
Example Candy Stripe Verbena timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
-
Plant Candy Stripe Verbena
Around Apr 17Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
-
Tend & protect
Late spring–summerWatering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
-
First Candy Stripe Verbena blooms
Around Jun 6≈ 50 days after planting
Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Candy Stripe Verbena dates for your own zip code.
Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Thrives in zones 9-11; grown as annual in cooler zones (treat as tender annual in zones 3-8)
Sign up free to see if Candy Stripe Verbena grows in your zone — and get a personalized planting timeline.
Get my Candy Stripe Verbena timeline →Growth Stages
Seedling
2-3 weeksTiny seedlings emerge with oval cotyledons and fine, feathery foliage beginning to develop.
Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Provide bright light; use grow lights if indoors. Maintain warm temperatures (70-75°F). Thin seedlings to proper spacing once true leaves appear.
Vegetative Growth
3-4 weeksPlant develops trailing or mounding stems with small, lance-shaped, finely textured leaves. Bushy growth habit becomes apparent.
Pinch back stems when 4-6 inches tall to encourage bushiness. Water moderately and fertilize every 2-3 weeks with balanced or slightly lower-nitrogen fertilizer. Full sun exposure.
Budding & Bloom Initiation
1-2 weeksFlower buds form at stem tips in clusters. Plant may show first buds 4-6 weeks after transplanting outdoors.
Continue regular watering and fertilizing. Switch to fertilizer with lower nitrogen and higher phosphorus/potassium to support blooming. Remove any competing weeds.
Flowering
8-12 weeks or until frostDense clusters of small, striped pink and white flowers appear continuously. Bicolor striping is most vibrant in bright light. Plant maintains compact, spreading form.
Deadhead spent flowers to encourage continuous blooming. Water at soil level in morning. Apply balanced or bloom-boosting fertilizer every 2-3 weeks. Monitor for powdery mildew in humid conditions.
Decline & End of Season
Variable; into winter in warm zonesFlowering slows as temperatures cool in fall or if neglected. Plant may become leggy or less floriferous.
In zones 9-11, cut back and mulch to encourage overwintering as a tender perennial. In cooler zones, allow frost to kill plant or pull after first frost. Collect seeds before plant dies if desired.
Companion Planting
Plan your garden →Plant with:
Avoid planting near:
Common Pests
-
Spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap. Increase air circulation. Use yellow sticky traps for monitoring and control.
-
Mist foliage to increase humidity (but avoid wetting flowers). Spray with neem oil or sulfur. Improve air circulation.
-
Spray with strong water stream to dislodge. Apply insecticidal soap or neem oil if severe. Encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs.
-
Ensure good air circulation. Avoid overhead watering. Apply sulfur or fungicide at first sign. Remove affected foliage.
-
Improve soil drainage with perlite or sand. Allow soil to dry slightly between waterings. Remove affected plants if severe.
Uses
Container & Landscape Ornament
HouseholdIdeal for hanging baskets, containers, window boxes, and garden borders. The trailing, mounding habit and continuous bicolor blooms create vibrant displays throughout the warm season. [source]
Pollinator Attraction
WildlifeSmall flowers attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds, making it an excellent choice for pollinator gardens and wildlife-friendly landscapes. [source]
Cut Flower & Dried Arrangements
CraftFresh clusters can be used in small bouquets; flowers and stems also dry well for crafts and dried arrangements, retaining color when properly dried. [source]
Traditional Herbal Use
MedicinalGlandularia species have been used in traditional medicine for their anti-inflammatory properties and to support respiratory health, though modern scientific validation is limited. [source]
This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.
Harvest Tips
Candy Stripe Verbena is an ornamental flower, not harvested for food. Deadhead spent flowers regularly by pinching off or snipping spent blooms to extend flowering season into fall. For seed saving, allow some flowers to remain on plant late in season; collect seed heads when they dry and turn brown, then store in cool, dry place.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 The 'Candy Stripe' cultivar is a seed-grown variety that produces vibrant pink and white striped flowers, making it popular with gardeners seeking dramatic bicolor displays without deadheading to maintain color.
- 🌱 Glandularia pulchella is native to Mexico and the southwestern United States, thriving in hot, dry conditions, which explains its exceptional drought tolerance once established.
- 🌱 Unlike some verbena species, Glandularia pulchella is generally not considered invasive in most regions and is well-behaved in gardens, making it an excellent ornamental choice.
Gardening Terms
New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:
Join 30,000 gardeners planning their gardens with LizPlants.
Get your personalized Candy Stripe Verbena planting timeline
Tell us your zip code and we'll calculate exactly when to start Candy Stripe Verbena seeds, transplant seedlings, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Includes calendar reminders and printable task lists. Free to start.
Get my Candy Stripe Verbena timeline →