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Verbena bonariensis 'LOLLIPOP' Argentinian vervain
Verbena
Vervain is a well-known and widely used perennial or self-seeding annual that has inhabited our planet since the Tertiary period — that is, tens of millions of years ago. Can you imagine a sabre-toothed tiger lurking between its stems, or prehistoric horses, mastodons, and mammoths grazing on its foliage all day? Scientists believe that the genus Verbena originated in present-day South America during the Eocene epoch (56–34 million years ago) and spread widely during the Oligocene (34–23 million years ago), when the climate slightly “cooled” — still tropical, but starting to dry — which helped the expansion of the drought-tolerant vervain. Thanks to so-called tropical land bridges, it reached North America, too, about 3 million years ago.
Argentinian vervain originates from the lowland regions of South America, particularly around Buenos Aires — hence its species name bonariensis. It was described in the 18th century and gradually found its way into European and North American gardens, where it became an essential element of naturalistic plantings inspired by the "new perennial movement." Its adaptability to different sites and its long flowering season have made it a beloved choice for butterfly and prairie-style borders.
The Lollipop cultivar of Argentinian vervain was bred by Elizabeth Dahlheimer in collaboration with Aris Horticulture Inc., a company based in Barberton, Ohio, USA. Founded in 1902 (originally as Yoder Brothers), Aris specializes in propagation, breeding, and development of compact, resilient, and floriferous perennials and annuals. Curiously, though both the company and cultivar are American in origin, Lollipop is legally protected elsewhere — in Europe (PBR no. 31589 from 2012), the UK, and Japan.
Lollipop is an upright, herbaceous perennial with slender stems topped by clusters of violet flowers that seem to float like a delicate mist above the border. This gives it the reputation of being a “transparent perennial” — one that lifts the planting rather than weighing it down. Unlike the botanical species, which can reach heights over 120 cm, Lollipop is compact to dwarf in habit, growing only about 50–60 cm tall. This makes it ideal for smaller beds, seasonal containers, or the border fronts. It retains all the strengths of the species: rich purple blooms, continuous flowering from June to October, and an irresistible allure for butterflies, bumblebees, and other pollinators. The cultivar name Lollipop is spot-on — the round flower heads perched on slender stems resemble candies poked into a green mosaic of leaves.
The leaves are dark green, narrowly lanceolate to oblong with sharply serrated margins and a rough texture — likely an evolutionary deterrent to browsing animals in its native habitat. They emerge oppositely on four-angled, bristly stems and are concentrated near the base of the plant, while the upper parts of the stems remain mostly leafless. This gives the plant an airy, elegant presence — making it a perfect companion for both low-growing and taller perennials. It pairs beautifully with echinaceas, nepetas, coreopsis, perovskia, rudbeckia, or gaura.
Verbena thrives in dry or rubble-like conditions — rocky substrates, slopes, gravel gardens, and borders with very well-draining soil. It dislikes waterlogging, so planting in lighter soils or slightly raised beds is recommended. It’s pH-tolerant and strictly sun-loving. It requires no fertilization. This plant is non-toxic and generally regarded as safe for allergy-sensitive gardeners and household pets. It is also unpalatable to common garden invaders like deer and hares. In our climate, it can withstand frost down to around –23 °C. In harsh winters, it may suffer damage but typically rebounds easily either through self-seeding or surviving root fragments. Occasionally, it self-seeds in a gentle and non-invasive way. It’s not suitable for year-round container cultivation outdoors — during winter, it suffers from lateral frost and poor drainage, which significantly shortens its lifespan.
Last update 22-06-2025
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- STANDARD QUALITY - Plants of this group are 1st class quality with number of branches and overall density adequate to their size and age, considering they were container grown.
- DE LUXE QUALITY - This label guarantees a luxurious quality of manually selected plants that, compared to their height and age, are exceptionally dense and beautiful.
- EXTRA - These plants are usually mature and bigger specimens with exceptional overall appearance.
- STANDARD (as described in the plant form) means a tree with a trunk of 190-210 cm and a crown at the top, unless specified differently. The commercial size for trees is their girth measured in the height of 1m from ground.
- HOBBY - These plants are of the same quality as our standard-quality plants but younger and therefore cheaper.
- SHRUB - a woody plant with branches growing bushy from the ground level.
- HALF-STANDARD or MINI-STANDARD - a small tree with shorter trunk, its size is usually specified.
- FEATHERED - These are trees with branches growing already from the base of the trunk and up along the stem.
- GRASSES and PERENNIALS - Sizes given usually read the diameter of the pot or the clump, as specified.
