Goodding's Verbena

Name: Goodding's Verbena
Brand: Outdoor Dream Builders

Glandularia gooddingii

A fragrant Southwestern native that carpets the ground with lavender-pink blooms, drawing butterflies from across the garden.

Hardy in USDA zones 7-11; a short-lived, root-hardy perennial in the low desert that may act as a cool-season annual in colder mid-desert winters.

AMWUA Notes

A low-water native groundcover that carpets bare soil in spring color while feeding butterflies.

Care Guide

💧Watering

Water weekly during spring bloom and every 1-2 weeks in summer; moderate but consistent moisture extends the flowering carpet.

✂️Pruning

Shear the whole plant back by half after the main spring flush to remove spent flowers and trigger repeat bloom into summer; a second shearing tidies it for fall.

🌱Fertilizing

Generally unnecessary; a light spring feed can boost bloom in poor soil.

🛡️Pests

Watch for spider mites in hot, dry stretches and occasional whitefly; increase airflow and rinse foliage to control.

☀️Seasonal Notes

A short-lived perennial best sown or planted in fall for a spring show; it reseeds readily to renew the stand.

Soil, Feeding & Propagation

🪨Soil

Lean, well-drained sandy or gravelly desert soils; tolerates rocky and disturbed ground; avoid soggy soil.

💧Drainage

Needs well-drained soil.

🌱Nutrient Needs

Low feeder.

🌰Propagation

Seed or cuttings; sow or plant in fall and it reseeds readily to renew the short-lived colony.

📐Spacing

3 ft

🌳Roots & Placement

Minimal; shallow-rooted and short-lived, it renews itself by reseeding rather than spreading aggressively.

Placement Tips

•Use as a low, spreading groundcover to knit together the front of a wildflower bed.
•Mass across open ground for a lavender-pink carpet rather than isolated plants.
•Let it reseed into gravel to maintain the colony as older plants fade.
•Site near paths and pollinator gardens where butterflies and the light fragrance are appreciated.