Lemon Verbena

snowy43

I have a lemon verbena plant in a pot. I took it into the greenhouse when it got very cold. Should it be pruned as it looks very straggly? It’s leaves have dropped off, but there are tiny buds on the stems.

Pete.8

I've had one in a pot for many years. It sits in a sunny part of a border and I tuck it behind a shrub for the winter.
I take no care of it I'm afraid, I've never fed it and often forget to water it, but it comes back every year.
It looks dead until around mid-May then bursts into growth.
I give it a prune sometime in Spring removing any leggy bits back to a strong stem and job done!

Nanny Beach

Technically they arent meant to be hardy yet, I have one in a hanging basket, a bit metal chunky thing I never remember to put in the greenhouse, which has survived and drops seedlings on the paving.  Yes, cut it back, re-pot it into some new decent compost it should be fine.

fidgetbones

They are often very late coming into leaf, so don't give up too early.

snowy43

Thanks for your advice. Will tidy it up, give it some new compost and leave it.

Alchemist

I find them to be one of the best hearbs for fragrance! Was thinking of ripping it out as look pretty dead. Good to know they may come back. Fingers. Crossed!

skippy59

I cut mine right back & it's kept in ground outside ,but climate pretty mild in cornwall usually .

Wayside

My all time favourite drink (herbal tea).  I must grow some.