Verbascum (Verbascum 'Southern Charm')
Verbascum 'Southern Charm' offers low-maintenance beauty with 2-3ft pastel flower spikes. Ideal for dry sun sites.
Scroll down to discover growing tips, care requirements, companion plants, and more
Complete Plant Information
Overview
Verbascum ‘Southern Charm’ is a distinctive, erect, clump-forming plant highly valued for introducing vertical structure using soft, pastel-colored blooms throughout late spring and early summer. As a cultivar of Verbascum, this selection forms an attractive basal rosette of woolly, silvery-green leaves, setting the stage for the towering flower spikes. Gardeners appreciate this variety for its relatively low maintenance needs and excellent performance even in challenging, dry soil locations.
This short-lived perennial, often persisting for several years through self-seeding, offers flowers in delicate shades of lavender, buff, cream, and rose. Verbascum ‘Southern Charm’ thrives best when given ample sunshine and well-drained conditions, reflecting its native adaptability to poor soil sites. It provides essential height and texture contrast in mixed borders and cottage garden settings.
The genus Verbascum is renowned for these dramatic flower spikes, making Verbascum ‘Southern Charm’ an excellent choice for gardeners seeking architectural interest without demanding constant attention. Its tolerance for drought and poor soils enhances its practical value, particularly in xeriscaping or rock gardens where moisture levels fluctuate.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Scrophulariaceae
- Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 5-8
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 2-3 ft
- Spread: 1.5-2 ft
- Bloom Time: May to June
- Bloom Description: Pastel shades of lavender, buff, cream and rose
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Water Needs: Dry to medium
- Maintenance Level: Low
How to Grow
Verbascum ‘Southern Charm’ should be planted in its permanent location during the spring or early fall, provided the soil drains exceptionally well. This plant strongly prefers full sun exposure, though it can tolerate part shade, especially in the hottest climates. While easily grown in average soil, ensuring sharp drainage is critical; wet, poorly drained soils are typically fatal to this genus.
Once established, water requirements for this Verbascum are minimal, thriving under dry to medium moisture conditions. Avoid rich, fertile soils, as these may encourage excessive foliage growth and necessitate staking for the taller flower stems. Fertilization is generally unnecessary given its preference for leaner sites.
Deadheading spent flower spikes promotes rebloom and may help stimulate perennial tendencies rather than allowing the plant to immediately shift into biennial behavior. However, it is wise to leave some spikes standing through seed set if you wish for Verbascum ‘Southern Charm’ to self-seed and ensure its presence in the garden next season. Propagation can also be achieved via root cuttings taken in early spring.
Landscape Uses
Verbascum ‘Southern Charm’ excels as a vertical accent plant, immediately drawing the eye upward with its stately flower spikes rising above surrounding perennials. It is a perfect inclusion for borders where height and texture are needed, fitting seamlessly into traditional cottage garden designs that embrace soft color palettes.
Due to its tolerance for poor, dry soils, this variety is highly effective on dry, rocky slopes or scree gardens where many other perennials struggle. While the mature height lends itself to the middle or back of a border, shorter cultivars are excellent for adding vertical drama to containers, provided drainage is strictly controlled within the pot.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
Noteworthy Characteristics
Verbascum is a genus of about 350 species known for their attractive flower spikes, often featuring hairy stamen filaments which inspired the name from the Latin barbascum meaning “bearded.” Verbascum ‘Southern Charm’ is specifically an erect, clump-forming, short-lived perennial capable of remaining in the garden through aggressive self-seeding. It produces multiple flowering stems reaching 2-3 feet tall, bearing soft pastel flowers that offer a long bloom period lasting from late spring into summer.
Tolerances
- Deer
- Drought
Potential Problems
The main threats to Verbascum ‘Southern Charm’ are environmental rather than pest-related. Ensure the site offers excellent drainage; sodden soil conditions are usually fatal to this plant. In very hot weather, spider mites can occasionally become an issue, requiring monitoring and prompt treatment if infestations occur. Taller specimens, particularly those situated in richer soil than they prefer, may require staking to support the heavy flower spikes during wind or rain events.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Verbascum ‘Southern Charm’ suitable for?
This herbaceous perennial is hardy in USDA Zones 5 through 8, making it a reliable choice for many temperate gardens.
When does Verbascum ‘Southern Charm’ bloom?
This variety typically displays its pastel shades of lavender, buff, cream and rose from May into June, often rewarding gardeners with possible rebloom later in the season if spent spikes are managed correctly.
How large does Verbascum ‘Southern Charm’ grow?
At maturity, Verbascum ‘Southern Charm’ generally reaches a height between 2 and 3 feet, with a spread of 1.5 to 2 feet wide for the basal rosette.
What sun exposure does Verbascum ‘Southern Charm’ need?
Verbascum prefers and performs best in full sun exposure, though limited part shade is tolerated.
Conclusion
Verbascum ‘Southern Charm’ provides undeniable value to the garden through its drought tolerance and striking vertical flower display in gentle pastel tones. By incorporating this low-maintenance Verbascum into sunny, well-drained areas, gardeners secure mid-season interest. Always verify that your intended planting location meets the drainage requirements before planting Verbascum ‘Southern Charm’.
Companion Planting
When selecting companions for Verbascum ‘Southern Charm’, focus on plants that share similar needs for full sun and excellent drainage, while offering foliage contrast. Excellent partners include lavender (Lavandula), which echoes the dry soil preferences, and hardy salvias which offer deep blue or purple tones that complement the soft pastels of the Verbascum blooms. Avoid moisture-loving plants, as these will inevitably lead to drainage issues that threaten the health of the woolly-leaved basal rosette.
Propagation Tips
While Verbascum ‘Southern Charm’ is technically a short-lived perennial, ensuring its longevity in your garden is achieved through encouraging natural reseeding. Allowing some of the flower spikes to mature and drop seed guarantees new plants for the following season, providing a continuous display of this handsome Verbascum. For intentional propagation, basal cuttings or root cuttings taken early in the spring before significant growth begins are the most effective asexual methods for preserving the exact cultivar characteristics.
