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Verbena hastata is often confused with:
Lythrum salicaria Mass planting
Verbena stricta Summer form Moore county: flowers and leaves
Plants that fill a similar niche:
Monarda didyma Flowers
Solidago sempervirens Form
Viola sororia Viola papilionacea
Verbena hastata has some common disease problems:
Southern Bacterial Wilt on Herbaceous Ornamental Plants

Verbena hastata

Phonetic Spelling
ver-BEE-nuh hass-TAH-tuh
Description

Blue vervain is a native wildflower that spreads slowly through rhizomes and self-seeding. It can grow in disturbed sites and is commonly found in moist meadows, thickets, pastures, riversides, marshes, ditches, and river-bottom prairies. In NC it is found in only a few counties of the coastal, Piedmont and mountain areas.

The plant forms clumps of stiff upright stems with lanced-shaped leaves with toothed margins. The purple flowers occur in a candelabra-shaped panicle and are a high-value nectar plant with a long bloom season. Blooms open bottom to top with only a few open at one time in mid to late summer.

Plant in full sun to partial shade in average medium to wet soils and pinch the tops to encourage branching and a bushier growth habit. Use this plant in moist sites as around ponds, bogs or water and rain gardens. 

 

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#native perennials#nectar plant#blue flowers#pond margins#specialized bees#NC native#summer flowers#native garden#pollinator plant#native wildflower#larval host plant#NC Native Pollinator Plant#wet soils tolerant#bird friendly#butterfly friendly#bee friendly#boggy sites#wildlife friendly
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#native perennials#nectar plant#blue flowers#pond margins#specialized bees#NC native#summer flowers#native garden#pollinator plant#native wildflower#larval host plant#NC Native Pollinator Plant#wet soils tolerant#bird friendly#butterfly friendly#bee friendly#boggy sites#wildlife friendly
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Verbena
    Species:
    hastata
    Family:
    Verbenaceae
    Uses (Ethnobotany):
    It has been used for many years as a medicinal herb for treating convalescents and people suffering from depression, headaches, jaundice, cramps, coughs and fevers. Externally, it has been applied to wounds, ulcers and acne. Swamp vervain can, however, interfere with blood pressure medication and hormone therapy, and large doses cause vomiting and diarrhea.
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Seed
    Stem Cutting
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    North America
    Distribution:
    AL , AR , AZ , CA , CO , CT , DC , DE , GA , IA , ID , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , MT , NC , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NV , NY , OH , OK , OR , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , UT , VA , VT , WA , WI , WV , WY Canada: NB , NS , ON , QC
    Wildlife Value:
    Cardinals, sparrows, and juncos eat the seeds. Cottontail rabbits eat the foliage, however, most mammals avoid its bitter taste. Larval host plant for verbena moth and the common buckeye butterfly. Long and short-tongued bees collect the nectar and sometimes the pollen. Other bee pollinators include epoline cuckoo bees, eucerine miner bees, halictid bees, and the verbena bee (a specialist pollinator). In addition, the thread-waisted wasp, bee flies, thick-headed flies and golden soldier beetle are also known to all visit blue vervain.
    Play Value:
    Wildlife Food Source
    Dimensions:
    Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 6 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Herb
    Herbaceous Perennial
    Native Plant
    Wildflower
    Habit/Form:
    Erect
    Growth Rate:
    Medium
    Maintenance:
    Low
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil Drainage:
    Moist
    Occasionally Wet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Red/Burgundy
    Fruit Type:
    Nut
    Fruit Description:
    The calyx persists and encloses 4 oblong, reddish-brown, triangular-convex “nutlets.”
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Blue
    Purple/Lavender
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Panicle
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Long-lasting
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Tubular
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    Showy, 6-inch panicles of purplish-blue flowers. 1/4 inch individual blooms have a blue-violet corolla with 5 spreading lobes, a short-tubular calyx with 5 narrow teeth, 4 inserted stamens, and a pistil. Panicles appear candelabra-like with pencil-thin flower spikes. They bloom bottom to top with only a few open at a time.
  • Leaves:
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Opposite
    Leaf Shape:
    Lanceolate
    Leaf Margin:
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Width:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Description:
    Up to 6 in long x 1 in wide, toothed, lance-shaped leaves with conspicuous veins that occur in pairs on the stem.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Green
    Red/Burgundy
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Cross Section:
    Square
    Stem Surface:
    Hairy (pubescent)
    Stem Description:
    Stems are square and green or red with white appressed hairs.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Meadow
    Naturalized Area
    Pond
    Landscape Theme:
    Native Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Rain Garden
    Water Garden
    Design Feature:
    Border
    Small groups
    Attracts:
    Butterflies
    Pollinators
    Songbirds
    Specialized Bees
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Wet Soil