Homestead Purple Verbena – Perennial?

Q: Is Homestead Purple verbena a perennial in Atlanta?

A: It’s considered a perennial but clumps generally wane after a few years. Verbena makes blooms at the tips of branches. As a plant spreads, the stems far from the center tend to be less well-rooted, so it looks thin. You can slow the decline by lightly spreading compost and topsoil over the middle after a couple of years. The plant will root there and bloom once again in the center.