Verbena hastata Linnaeus. Common name: Common Vervain, Blue Vervain, Simpler's-joy. Phenology: Jun-Oct. Habitat: Fens, marshes, bogs, meadows, calcareous spring marshes, riverbanks, low fields. Distribution: 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, K4, Mi, Mo3, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, S, Tat, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WV, Barber (1982), Nesom (2010b); >< Verbena carolina L., misapplied; > Verbena hastata L. var. hastata; > Verbena hastata L. var. scabra Moldenke. Basionym: Verbena hastata L. 1753
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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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Horticultural Information
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
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