Blue Vervain
Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata) adds elegance and movement to the garden with its tall, slender stems topped by candelabra-like spikes of minute blue-purple flowers. Perfect for rain gardens, moist meadows, and the edges of ponds or streams, where it provides extended bloom time and strong pollinator value.
From mid to late summer, its delicate flowers bloom in slow succession up each spike, attracting a steady stream of bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects. Though the flowers are small, their impact is great—especially when planted in groups.
Blue Vervain is a short-lived perennial, but it readily self-seeds, allowing it to persist and naturalize in the garden over time. It can develop powdery mildew, a harmless but cosmetic condition, so it looks best tucked among other plants for support and coverage.
Why Choose Blue Vervain?
- Extended bloom time – Small flowers bloom in succession all summer.
- Pollinator magnet – Supports a wide range of beneficial insects.
- Thrives in moist soils – Perfect for wet gardens and naturalized plantings.
Plant Blue Vervain in full sun to part shade with moist to average soil, and enjoy a graceful, self-sustaining native that adds vertical interest and supports local ecosystems.
- A relatively short-lived perennial, allow some seedlings to become established in your garden year over year to keep the population of this awesome plant around indefinitely
- Susceptible to powdery mildew - a non-lethal leaf disease. Sunnier and less densely planted sites are less often afflicted.
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