Blue Vervain
Verbena hastata
Also listed as Verbena paniculata, Verbena pinnatifida
Also known as American Blue Vervain, American Vervain, Swamp Vervain
Climate Match for your location
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Blue vervain is a native wildflower with tall, slender stems topped by spikes of small, delicate blue-purple flowers that bloom over a long season. It attracts pollinators and is useful for naturalized gardens and meadow plantings.
Why grow it
Blue vervain offers a reliable source of nectar and pollen for native bees and butterflies across a long bloom period, making it a practical choice for pollinator-focused plantings. Compared to cultivated ornamental verbenas, this species tolerates variable moisture conditions and poor soils typical of meadow and naturalization settings without requiring supplemental fertilizer or consistent watering once established.
Watch out for
In areas with consistent moisture and rich soil, blue vervain may self-seed prolifically; deadheading spent flower spikes before seed maturity helps manage volunteer seedlings in managed garden settings. Plants perform best with full sun exposure; in partial shade they tend toward leggier growth and reduced flowering.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Verbenaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Eastern North America
Native to: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
Blue vervain is a native wildflower with tall, slender stems topped by spikes of small, delicate blue-purple flowers that bloom over a long season. It attracts pollinators and is useful for naturalized gardens and meadow plantings.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Blue Vervain grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Blue vervain offers a reliable source of nectar and pollen for native bees and butterflies across a long bloom period, making it a practical choice for pollinator-focused plantings. Compared to cultivated ornamental verbenas, this species tolerates variable moisture conditions and poor soils typical of meadow and naturalization settings without requiring supplemental fertilizer or consistent watering once established.
Watch out for
In areas with consistent moisture and rich soil, blue vervain may self-seed prolifically; deadheading spent flower spikes before seed maturity helps manage volunteer seedlings in managed garden settings. Plants perform best with full sun exposure; in partial shade they tend toward leggier growth and reduced flowering.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Verbenaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Eastern North America
Native to: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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