Verbena bonariensis ‘Puntana’ is a distinctive and popular garden plant. Its upright habit and airy flowers create a captivating visual effect for any garden. It is appealing due to its extended blooming and ability to attract beneficial insects.
Understanding Puntana
‘Puntana’ is a cultivar of Verbena bonariensis, also known as tall verbena. This plant grows with a slender, upright form, typically reaching 3 to 6 feet tall and 1 to 3 feet wide. Its stems are sparsely covered with lance-shaped leaves, primarily forming a rosette at the base.
The plant’s small, lavender to rose-purple flowers appear in tight, airy clusters atop long, wiry stems. These blooms emerge from mid-summer until the first frost. Native to South America, ‘Puntana’ is valued for its architectural presence, graceful sway, and strong attraction to pollinators like butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.
Cultivating Puntana
Light Requirements
‘Puntana’ thrives in ample sunlight. For optimal growth and prolific flowering, aim for at least six to eight hours of direct sun daily. Insufficient light can lead to fewer blooms and legginess.
Soil Preferences
This verbena prefers well-draining soil and tolerates average to poor conditions. It adapts to various soil types, including loam, sand, and clay, provided drainage is good. Heavy clay soils should be amended with organic matter, like compost, to improve drainage.
Watering Practices
Once established, ‘Puntana’ is quite drought-tolerant. During its initial establishment, regular watering is important. After this period, water only when the top few inches of soil feel dry.
Temperature and Hardiness
‘Puntana’ is a tender perennial, hardy in USDA Zones 7 through 11. In colder climates, it is often grown as an annual, though it can self-seed and return.
Nutrient Needs
‘Puntana’ is not a heavy feeder. Excessive feeding can lead to lush foliage at the expense of flowers and may cause legginess. A light application of balanced fertilizer or compost can support continuous blooming.
Pruning for Health and Shape
Regular deadheading encourages more blooms and a tidier appearance. To manage height or encourage bushier growth, trim stems during the growing season. This stimulates new growth and fresh flowers.
Puntana’s Role in Landscaping
‘Puntana’ offers a unique aesthetic and functional role in garden design. Its tall, airy stems and sparse foliage allow it to be used as a “see-through” plant, providing vertical interest without obstructing views. This makes it suitable for mixed borders, cottage gardens, and meadow-style plantings.
Its purple flowers attract beneficial insects, including butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. ‘Puntana’ can enhance garden biodiversity. Its tendency to self-seed allows it to naturalize and fill gaps, contributing to informal garden designs.
Addressing Common Concerns
‘Puntana’ is generally robust, but gardeners might encounter issues. Prolific self-seeding can lead to numerous volunteer seedlings. To manage this, deadhead flowers before they go to seed, or remove unwanted seedlings.
The plant resists most pests and diseases. Powdery mildew can appear in humid conditions or with poor air circulation. Proper plant spacing and avoiding overhead watering can help prevent this.
Legginess can occur if ‘Puntana’ does not receive enough sunlight or is over-fertilized. Pruning leggy stems encourages bushier growth.