If you love flowers that are fragrant with non-stop bee and butterfly activity, then the sweet almond verbena or tree verbena is a must for your landscape. Those traits, coupled with drought tolerance and ease of growing, were just some of the reasons it was chosen as the Florida Plant of the Year in 2008 and will be a winner in San Marcos too.
Botanically speaking, it is known as Aloysia virgata and is in the verbena family. It is native to Argentina but is truly at home in much of the United States. Despite the fact it was a Florida winner, in San Marcos it will return from the ground after winter and reach 10-feet tall plus by late fall.
Those glorious spikes of white blooms will be produced with reckless abandon from early May and continuing well into November. In late afternoon, when you might be ready to relax on the deck or patio, the fragrance intensifies, making the experience one that the whole family will treasure and remember.
