# vervains (*Verbena*)

Vervains are colorful flowers that bloom in many shades, like purple, pink, and white. They attract butterflies and bees, making gardens a lively place to explore!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Gardens

![vervains](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Illustration_Verbena_officinalis0.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Illustration_Verbena_officinalis0.jpg)

## Appearance

The vervains has slender stems topped with dense clusters of small, five-petaled flowers, often purple, pink, white, or blue. Its lance-shaped leaves are typically rough or hairy, making it distinct from smooth-leaved garden annuals.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Lamiales
- **Family:** Verbenaceae
- **Genus:** Verbena

## Interesting facts

- Its tiny seeds can stay hidden in the soil for many years!
- One vervain plant can produce hundreds of flowers each summer!
- Some vervains have been used in ancient rituals and potions!
- Vervains' tough stems help them stand tall even in windy spots!

## Special abilities

- **Drought Dodger:** Vervains can thrive in dry conditions thanks to their deep root systems, helping them survive periods without much rain.
- **Nectar Beacon:** Vervains have small, brightly colored flowers clustered together, which creates a large visual target to attract many pollinators.
- **Self-Sower:** Many vervain species readily drop their seeds, allowing them to easily spread and grow new plants without human help.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-120 cm
- **Spread:** 30-90 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honeybee (*Apis mellifera*) — visits flowers for nectar
- **Pollinates:** [Monarch butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — feeds on flower nectar
- **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — gathers pollen and nectar

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always check with an adult before picking flowers, and remember to be gentle with plants.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify vervains?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is vervains?

30-120 cm

### How wide does vervains spread?

30-90 cm

### How big are the flowers on vervains?

0.5-1 cm

### When does vervains bloom?

Late spring to fall

### Is vervains edible?

No

### Is vervains toxic?

Mild

### What is vervains's lifecycle?

Perennial

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Vervains: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/vervains)