Description

Key Information:

Soil: Hydric (Wet) – Mesic (Medium)
Sun: Full
Height: 1-3.5 feet
Bloom Color: Purple
Bloom Season: July – September

More Details:

Suggested Uses: Blue Vervain thrives in wet areas and is a great addition to shoreline restoration projects and rain gardens. It reseeds readily but is generally not overly aggressive.  It is attractive to birds, butterflies and pollinating bees. It is sometimes confused with mints due to its square stem but it is in the Verbenaceae family.

Native Range: Native throughout the vast majority of the contiguous U.S. including all of Minnesota.

Pollinators: Bees, butterflies (skippers), moths and other beneficial insects. It is a host plant for a few butterfly and moth species, including the common buckeye. It is a high-value nectar source for adult butterflies, including monarchs.

Flowers: The flower head is a long thick spike of tiny tube-like flowers that bloom from the bottom up. There are several spikes per plant. The flowers are about 1/4″ wide, with 5 petals, 4 stamens and 1 pistil.

Leaves: The opposite leaves are 4″-6″ long, lance-shaped, rough textured and toothed. They grow on a square, grooved stem.

Food Uses: The roasted seeds can be ground into flour.

Other Names: Swamp Verbena, Blue Verbena

More information: USDA plant profile