Blue Vervain

Blue Vervain

Verbena hastata

Blue Vervain is a cool season, native perennial that grows between 2 and 5 feet tall. It’s commonly found in river bottom prairies, moist meadows in floodplain woodlands, soggy thickets, borders of rivers and ponds, marshes, ditches, fence rows, and pastures. This plant adapts readily to degraded wetlands and other disturbed areas, but it can be found in higher quality habitats as well. Blue Vervain produces very attractive purplish-blue flowers in late summer. It prefers moist conditions and full to partial sun. It’s an excellent landscaping substitute for several invasive species, including European wand loosestrife, purple loosestrife, and purple foxglove. Some birds will eat the seeds, but most mammals will avoid consuming the plant due to the bitter taste.