Verbena bonariensis 'Lollipop'
Overview
Verbena bonariensis 'Lollipop' is a compact, free-flowering variety of the classic Verbena bonariensis, renowned for its airy, architectural form and long-lasting blooms. Perfectly suited for everyday gardeners, ‘Lollipop’ delivers the same delicate charm and pollinator appeal in a smaller, more manageable size, making it ideal for smaller gardens, containers, and front-of-border planting.
Key Features
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Botanical Name: Verbena bonariensis 'Lollipop'
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Common Name: Dwarf Brazilian Verbena
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Flower Colour: Clusters of small, lavender-purple flowers
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Foliage: Slender, toothed green leaves at the base with branching flower stems above
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Height: 60cm (2ft)
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Spread: 60cm (2ft)
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Flowering Period: June to September
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Hardiness: Hardy in the UK down to temperatures of -10 to -5 degrees Celcius (RHS hardiness rating H4)
Why Grow Verbena bonariensis 'Lollipop'?
This charming dwarf variety offers all the beauty of its taller cousin, but in a neater form that’s perfect for smaller spaces. Its compact size means no staking is required, and it’s easier to integrate into tighter planting schemes. Loved by bees and butterflies, ‘Lollipop’ adds movement, colour, and lightness to borders, gravel gardens, or patio pots, all summer long.
Ideal Growing Conditions
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Sunlight: Requires full sun for best performance
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Potted: grown in pots can be planted at any time of the year providing the ground is not frozen or waterlogged
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Soil: Well-drained soil is essential; tolerates poor or sandy soils
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Watering: Water regularly during dry spells, especially in the first season after planting
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Feeding: A light feed in spring with general-purpose fertiliser will support blooming
Care and Maintenance
Verbena bonariensis 'Lollipop' is easy to grow and low-maintenance. Deadhead spent flowers regularly to encourage continuous blooming. Although technically a short-lived perennial, it often self-seeds gently in ideal conditions. In colder areas, protect roots with a dry mulch over winter or grow in containers that can be sheltered.
Pollinator Friendly
‘Lollipop’ is a magnet for bees, butterflies, and hoverflies, making it an essential addition to any pollinator-friendly garden. Its open flower structure allows easy access to nectar from early summer until the first frosts.
Garden Uses
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Ideal for the front of borders and mixed perennial beds
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Perfect for containers on sunny patios or balconies
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Excellent in wildlife gardens or informal cottage-style planting
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Combines well with gravel or Mediterranean planting schemes
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Beautiful when planted en masse for a drift of summer colour
Companion Planting Suggestions
Pairs wonderfully with ornamental grasses, echinacea, salvia, rudbeckia, and gaura. Its slender, see-through form allows it to mingle without crowding, adding height and texture without bulk.
Interesting Fact
‘Lollipop’ was bred specifically to provide all the benefits of Verbena bonariensis in a space-saving form. It shares the same appeal to pollinators and long flowering period, but its shorter height makes it more practical for a wider range of garden settings.
Verbena bonariensis 'Lollipop' is a must-have for gardeners looking to add continuous colour, structure, and wildlife appeal with minimal effort. Compact, elegant, and floriferous, it’s a delightful way to bring the joys of summer into any outdoor space, large or small. A true gem for modern gardens and classic borders alike.
Buying Perennials from Jacksons Nurseries
At Jacksons Nurseries we lightly trim back our perennials after flowering and trim them back at the end of the season to ensure that the plants remain neat and tidy whilst in the pot. The more tender the plant the less we cut back to help protect exposed stems from winter frost. Depending on the plant variety we will then prune back further in spring once the risk of the more severe frosts is over.
As a result, depending on the time of year you buy perennials, they may not look like images showing their ‘prime time’ in flower and looking at their best.
From late autumn onwards and dependent on variety, there may be very little visible above the soil except for a few cut back dormant leaves or stems. It is perfectly normal for dormant plants to look like this from autumn onwards, they will however burst back into life in spring.
Availability: Stock availability figures are provided as a guide only. There is a delay between orders being placed and the plants being gathered by our pulling team. During this time it may be possible for a member of the public to purchase these plants from our Garden Centre, while this is rare it is a possibility and we will notify you of any problems as soon as possible. This figure may also include plants that have not yet be flagged as unsaleable.
Pre-order: Pre-order times are given as a guide only and may vary dependent on the growing season. Orders containing Pre-ordered products will be shipped as a single order when all items become available. Large orders may be part shipped, please contact us on 01782 502741 or email sales@jacksonsnurseries.co.uk.
Perennials are described and classified differently by different gardeners but all would agree that they are plants that come into flower every year from early spring to late summer, the exact time dependent on variety and most die back to ground level in autumn and winter.
As for all plants, soil preparation is time well spent. Dig over the area to be planted ensuring that the ground is free draining. If not then you may wish to either consider planting in a different spot or raising the level of the planting area by adding additional topsoil, well rotted garden compost and/or well rotted manure. Add ‘Fish, Blood and Bone’ fertiliser or a high potash fertiliser to encourage good root growth and development.
It’s always a good idea to plant a few of the same plant together, we recommend planting in 3’s or 5’s to provide a bold effect but allowing them plenty of room to develop.
Always check eventual plant heights when planning borders to ensure that the taller plants are at the back (or at the centre of an island bed) followed by the medium and then smaller low growing plants.
Remember to deadhead perennials after flowering, trim back lightly in autumn as required to tidy the border and if necessary trim again in spring once the risk of heavy frost has passed.
If perennials get too big, start to flower less and less or if it seems to be dying off from the centre, consider dividing the plant but always check that the particular variety is happy to be divided and that you divide at the right time of year for the plant.
By using this simple guide and a little time, perennials can make an absolutely spectacular difference to your garden.
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