Porterweed (Verbena family) #1 nectar plant | backyard pollinator garden | Texas Gulf Coast Zone 9b

Stachytarpheta is a plant genus in the Verbena family and a #hummingbird and #butterfly favorite. I have 7 different colors/types in my backyard that I would like to share with you. It is an important food source for hummingbirds during the winter in Central and South America before they begin their journey north. Porterweed should have at least 1/2 day of sun, average moisture, and average to well draining soil. It can be grown in ground or in containers and is a perennial in zones 10-11. (Sometimes it will come back from the ground in zone 9 if the winter is mild). I have most of mine in containers and I protect them during temperatures below 32 degrees. It is a "must have" for butterfly and hummingbird gardens.

[@davettayoung1495]

They are beautiful Crystal!!!🪻I love seeing your backyard.🪴

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Hi Renae - thank you so much! 😊

[@eleanormarcellus8676]

a stunner

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Thank you! 😊

[@brownstallion4969]

Hummingbirds and butterflies are my favorite!

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Oh, mine too! 😊🦋👍

[@kvaughn2252]

I just found my first porterweed plants! I had to buy them from what I learned from your channel!!❤

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

That is awesome! My porterweeds attract so many pollinators. I hope yours does too! 👍😊🌞

[@pc1189]

I agree with you Porterweed is fantastic pollinator attractant I put a purple one in late summer last year and was so pleased with how it drew in so many varieties of bees and butterflies I picked up 2 more. Hadn’t seen red or pink until today and they are now on my list to find. Happy gardening 🌺

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

You know, it took me awhile before I got a Porterweed because originally I didn't think they were particularly interesting to look at. Well, I changed my mind very quickly once I took a chance and purchased a purple Porterweed. I was stunned by all that it attracted. I just couldn't believe flowers only along a small section of a bloom stalk would be worth anything. It didn't take long for me to realize how important it was to a butterfly and hummingbird garden. So now I seem to collect them! lol. I hope you can find the colors you are looking for. Happy Gardening! 😊

[@caranwysong3065]

Wow! I have a blue and a coral porterweed. Both are new to me and planted in the ground where they will get 4 or so hours of sun. Maybe you could do a video about how to take a cutting. Since mine are in the ground, I would like to do that for next year. Loved the butterfly at the end!

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

That is awesome you have blue and coral Porterweeds! I hope you enjoy all that they will attract to your garden. The video of the cuttings is a good idea! 😊

[@tammiedunbar6166]

Does Porter Weed become deciduous for your growing zone during the winter? And return again the following Spring from the crown of the parent plant? My black&blue salvia returns annually faithfully. And spreads in my garden.

[@GrandmaSandy]

Beautiful garden tour thank you so much for sharing. Everything was beautiful.

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Thank you so much! 😊

[@GlendasTexasGarden]

I love your pink and the purple one, very lovely. 💜

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

That pink has so surprised me ... I am really glad to have found it before it was snapped up at the nursery.

[@slr4172]

You always inspire me.

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

That is so sweet of you! 😊

[@JosTXGarden]

I love my Porterweed! I bought it because of you and your lovely videos! I have three in the front garden that got huge and did fine, unprotected, in the ground through the winter. One in the back didn’t make it through the cold. I’m definitely going to look for a pink one. So gorgeous! Thanks for the great video!

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

That is wonderful your front yard porterweed made it through the winter! I purchased Stokes Aster from one of your videos, and they are budding up and getting ready to flower! I'm so excited too because I have a lot of butterflies at the moment. Thanks so much for your comment!

[@JosTXGarden]

My stokes aster is going crazy!

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

I got my first bloom and I love it! 🤩

[@Collington23]

I love porterweed. I live in central FL and it is definitely the #1 pollinator plant. It’s so easy to propagate and divide to get free plants out of as well. I have the standard blue one but would love to have the red.

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

I think the blue porterweed is native in Florida. I have come to really depend on porterweed in my garden.

[@HoustonKeith72]

I saw this at Joshua’s Native Plants recently. Will definitely be getting some.

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Wonderful! You won't be disappointed if you do get one!

[@stanleystone49]

I have 2 porta weed growing in pots they are loved by me and the butterflies

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Fantastic! 🤩🦋

[@marleneegan-hm7lr]

I put the purple and blue in the ground in part shade( I think they get late day sun too) and are doing great and don’t seem bothered by all of the rain with clay soil

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

My neighbor has hers in the landscape with heavy clay soil and hers do well. Not all of them come back for her after a freeze though. After a freeze I put out my Porterweed (in containers) so those pollinators that are still here have something to feed from. The first year I grew Porterweed I couldn't readily get it. But now I can reliably get it at Enchanted Gardens, so I'm more inclined to want to plant it in the landscape even if it doesn't return in the spring.

[@wesleyhackney]

The growth of your garden has really taken off it’s amazing. I wish porterweed was more available in in NW Florida I’ve only seen a few pots twice this spring in Lowes. So when you cutback this plant just how far back are you going, al the way back to stump or maybe only a third?

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

The two I cut back were about 1/2 to 2/3 of the plant. I bring Porterweed into the garage if we have freezing temperatures so it just keeps growing in my containers. It is such a fast grower that I need to be more careful on "how" it is growing and prune any branches that aren't growing in the direction I want.

[@melissavillarreal7414]

Hi! Im from south of Houston, 9b as well! U can use the stems after they bloom and dry up, to make more plants! They have so many seeds in them. I would trade u some seeds from another 9b zone plant, if you are interested!! I have the blue porterweed, and use the seeds to make more plants all the time.

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

I am just finding that the blue porterweed self seed so prolifically! I also have my first purple porterweed that has reseeded. I was so excited because so far, the only porterweed that reseeded was the blue. I don't plant a lot of seeds, but I think I might need to start.

[@meganramsey2228]

Annnnnd now I need porterweed 😂

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Lol! 🤣

[@Pierceb2]

Could you mention more about which species of butterfly’s and hummingbirds you attract to your garden especially rare or uncommon varieties. Enjoy your videos as a fellow Butterfly and Hummingbird Gardner in MA. I get a Pipe-vine Swallowtail once a decade. They were here at onetime back when Dutchman’s Pipe-vine was grown on Victorian Porches and Gazebos which eventually fell out of fashion here.

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

That is wonderful you are a butterfly and hummingbirds gardener too! 😊 Most of the hummingbirds are the ruby- throats. But in the winter we also get Rufus and buff-bellied hummingbirds in our yard. I have all kinds of butterflies, but mainly have monarchs, pipevine Swallowtails, Gulf Fritillaries, Eastern Black Swallowtails, Cloudless Sulfurs, Giant Swallowtails, Tiger Swallowtails, Texas Crescents, Red Admirals, Painted Ladys, orange-barred sulfurs, and Skippers. I get others in the yard, but not as often. How about for you?

[@baerbelbegnaud5802]

Where can you find that plant, it looks very interesting

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

I get mine from my favorite nursery in the Houston area. If your nursery doesn't carry it, you might try ordering one from an online nursery. Almost Eden (online and based in Louisiana) is carrying two different colors of porterweed right now.

[@goldengirl65]

This plant seems to be listed as a weed here. I can't find it anywhere for sale. Only sites coming up in search say it's an environmental weed. I thought I would look just out of curiosity to see what colours were available here. Interesting.

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

That is interesting! Maybe it is invasive in Australia.

[@goldengirl65]

​@@ButterfliesNBirdsmust be I guess. I site was about keeping waterways safe but I didn't click in to read the article. I will ask a nursery next time I ring one.

[@goldengirl65]

My phone won't let me fix mistakes on here but that should say one site.

[@wesleyhackney]

Maybe you could recommend a couple of websites to buy it if you have any to suggest

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

I haven't purchased any porterweed online, but I have had a few comments from gardeners that like the website: www.almostedenplants.com/ out of Louisiana. They are selling a couple different colors right now. I noticed this online nursery also sells the Bloomify series Lantana that is mounding and sterile. I might have to place an order! 😊