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Verbena hastata Linnaeus. Common Vervain, Blue Vervain, Simpler's-joy. Phen: Jun-Oct. Hab: Fens, marshes, bogs, meadows, calcareous spring marshes, riverbanks, low fields. Dist: NS west to BC, south to NC, n. AL, AR, OK, n. TX, NM, AZ, CA; scattered occurrences farther south appear to be introductions.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: The hybrid with V. urticifolia, Verbena ×engelmannii Moldenke, is known from our area.

Synonymy : = Ar, C, F, G, GrPl, GW2, Il, K3, K4, Mi, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, S, Tat, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WV, Barber (1982), Nesom (2010b); >< Verbena carolina L., misapplied; > Verbena hastata L. var. hastata – K1; > Verbena hastata L. var. scabra Moldenke – K1

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FAC
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACW
  • Great Plains: FACW
  • Midwest: FACW
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACW

Heliophily : 8

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image of plant© Tracie L. Jeffries | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Tracie L. Jeffries | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect perennial of fens, marshes, bogs, meadows, calcareous spring marshes, river banks and low fields.

Stems: Stems 4-sided and grooved, rough-hairy.

Leaves: Leaves opposite, petiolate, lance-shaped or narrowly oval, sometimes with lobes at the base, 1 1/2-7 in. long, coarsely to doubly toothed, rough-hairy.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers in dense, elongate-pointy, erect spikes at ends of branches of a candelabra-like terminal cluster, lower flowers blooming first; each flower blue to violet, less than 1/4 in. wide, tubular, opening to 5 spreading, minute lobes.

Fruits:

Comments:

Height: 1 1/2-5 ft.

plant sale text: This clump-forming, upright perennial features lovely candelabra-like flowering stalks with tiny delicate blue-violet flowers on graceful slender spikes. Although this species has a long bloom period throughout the summer and fall, individual flowers bloom from the bottom up so that each flower stalk has only a few flowers at a time. In the wild, blue vervain grows in full to partial sunlight in consistently wet or soggy meadows, bottomlands, floodplains, and stream banks. This species is a good choice for the edge of a pond or water garden or in a wet meadow.

bloom table text:

description: Erect perennial of fens, marshes, bogs, meadows, calcareous spring marshes, river banks and low fields.

stems: Stems 4-sided and grooved, rough-hairy.

leaves: Leaves opposite, petiolate, lance-shaped or narrowly oval, sometimes with lobes at the base, 1 1/2-7 in. long, coarsely to doubly toothed, rough-hairy.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers in dense, elongate-pointy, erect spikes at ends of branches of a candelabra-like terminal cluster, lower flowers blooming first; each flower blue to violet, less than 1/4 in. wide, tubular, opening to 5 spreading, minute lobes.

fruits:

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: eastern North America