Commonly called purpletop verbena, Verbena bonariensis is a herbaceous perennial plant grown for its showy clusters of fragrant blossoms. It grows nicely inside USDA zones 7 to 11, where it’s sometimes added to perennial beds and borders to attract beneficial pollinating insects like bees and butterflies. Like many members of the vervain family, Verbena bonariensis will disperse from herbaceous stem cuttings taken in spring or early summer. The rooted cuttings must be protected in the hot summer sun if they are to flourish and achieve their height of 3 feet.

Blend equal measures of perlite and milled coir or peat moss. Mix the two components by hand is evenly distributed through peat moss or the coir. Drizzle water onto the mixture until it feels moderately moist.

Pack the mixture. Leave a 1/2 inch space between the lip of the pot along with the top layer of the mixture.

Find a healthy stem with lots of leaves but no flowers or buds. Measure 2 to 4 inches from the tip of the stem. Cut the stem straight or just pinch the clipping free with your fingernails.

Strip off the leaves in the of the cutting edge. Coat the leafless section of the Verbena bonariensis cutting 0.1% IBA (indolebutyric acid) burning powder. The stem to dislodge the powder that is rooting that is surplus.

Pot the cutting as soon as possible after collecting it. Poke a hole at the perlite and milled coir mixture. Make the hole equal to two-thirds the period of the cuttingedge.

Stick that the Verbena bonariensis until the leaves are above the surface of the mixture cutting to the hole. Firm the mixture around the stem to remove any trapped air.

Place the cutting a propagation mat at a place away from direct sunshine. Set the temperature on the propagation mat to 68 F. Cover the cutting edge and pot using a 1-gallon plastic bag to help hold in the heat.

Remove every three days for 15 to 20 minutes to enhance air flow around the cutting edge, to keep it from rotting.

Test the mixture that is rooting each three to four days for moisture using the tip of your finger. Water the when the mixture feels tender at a 1/2-inch-depth, cutting. Because the dirt will take on too much moisture water into a thickness of 1 inch do not pour water.

For rooting in three weeks, check. Grip the foundation of the stem between your thumb and forefinger and gently tug on it. Feel for resistance to the movement, which indicates successful rooting.

Remove the plastic bag after the Verbena bonariensis cutting has rooted. Maintain the plant under conditions for 30 to 60 days. Transplant it to a sunny or partly shaded mattress with soil.

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