Native & adapted

Goodding’s verbena

Glandularia gooddingii

Also known as Goodding's verbena · Verbena gooddingii

A spreading Arizona verbena with lavender flower clusters that wakes up after rain and cool weather, feeding butterflies and native bees.

Arizona nativePollinatorButterfly plantLow water

Landscape layersGround cover

Mature size

8–18 in. tall × 2–3 ft. wide

Climate fit

Urban core · USDA 9b–10a · Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b · Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b · High desert · USDA 6a–8b

Special categories

POLLINATOR ATTRACTING

Hardiness guidance

Adapted from low desert through cooler Arizona elevations

Before you plant

These conditions determine whether it will thrive.

Cold hardiness

Hardy here

Hardy to about 10°F. Never needs frost protection here.

Leaves and wood: damaged below 10°F

Heat tolerance

Shade from late-afternoon sun

Takes full sun or part sun. In the hottest west exposures a little afternoon shade helps it last through summer.

Sources:

Right plant, right place

Use near paths, in pollinator beds, or along the upper edge of a basin. It may look sparse during drought or seasonal dormancy, then rebound quickly.

Best regional fit: Urban core · USDA 9b–10a, Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b, Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b, High desert · USDA 6a–8b.

Light

Full sun to light shade.

Water

Low once established. Periodic deep irrigation can trigger a new flush of growth and flowers.

Planting & stewardship

1
Group several plants for a legible patch and leave gaps for natural reseeding.
2
Cut tired stems back after a bloom cycle instead of shearing constantly.
3
Keep the crown well drained and avoid daily irrigation.
4
Allow some seed to mature before cleanup if self-renewal is welcome.