Melinda Myers

Blue Vervain

Botanical Name

Verbena hastata

Min Zone

3

Max Zone

8

Height

2 to 6 feet

Width

12 to 18 inches

Flowers

Summer: purplish-blue tubular flowers, pencil-like flower spikes arranged in candelabra-like inflorescenes, blooms begin at the bottom of the flower spike

Light

Full sun

Soil

Medium to wet

Planting & Care

• Works well planted along streams, ponds or other moisture rich areas of the landscape
• Spreads by rhizomes and self seeding
• Birds, including the cardinal, swamp sparrow, field sparrow, song sparrow and slate-colored junco feed on the seeds
• Larval host to the common buckey caterpillar
• Plants can be pinched back several times before flowering to encourage branching and fuller habit