Verbena hastata (Swamp Verbena) Unity Grown

Verbena hastata, commonly called swamp verbena or blue vervain, is a thick-stemmed upright perennial wildflower which grows from two to six feet tall, producing numerous spikes of bluish-purple blooms from mid-summer into the fall in fountain-like clusters. Flower spikes bloom from bottom to top, slowly producing a few purple flowers at a time and attracting bumblebees, butterflies, and hummingbirds in the process. Verbena hastata is also a pollen source for a number of endangered butterflies like the Cobweb Skipper (Hesperia metea) and is a host plant for the caterpillar larvae of the Maryland native Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia).

Commonly found in disturbed, wet areas like forest margins, stream banks, or agricultural ditches, Verbena hastata is no stranger to wet soils and is also tolerant of occasional flooding, so long as the water doesn't sit stagnant for too long. Over time, swamp verbena forms clumps as it slowly spreads by way of self-seeding and rhizomatic root growth, and works well in both rain and pollinator gardens, open meadows, and forest margin plantings.