Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata): blue Minnesota wildflowers

Blue Vervain

Plant Info
Also known as:	Swamp Verbena
Scientific name:	Verbena hastata
Family:	Verbena (Verbenaceae)
Life cycle:	perrenial
Origin:	native
Habitat:	sun; wet fields, shores, ditches
Bloom season:	summer
Plant height:	1 to 6 feet
USDA PLANTS database:	Minnesota county distribution map
Spotted in Ramsey County at:	Long Lake Regional Park Vadnais/Snail Lake Regional Park

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Flower:: Thin spike, 2 to 5 inches long, of blue to violet blue flowers. Individual flowers are a little less than ¼ inch across and have 5 petals fused at the base, forming a short tube. There are several spikes at the top of the plant. The spikes bloom from the bottom up.
Leaves and stem:: Leaves are narrow, to 7 inches long and about 1 inch wide, with short leaf stems. The edges are coarsely toothed and the leaf base and tip are both pointed. The leaves near the base of the plant are sometimes lobed into 3 sections. Attachment is opposite. The stem is square, may be reddish or green, and may be somewhat hairy.
Notes:: With a square stem and opposite leaves, Blue Vervain can be mistaken as a member of the Mint family, but it is not. It might also be confused with Hoary Vervain, but the flowers of Blue Vervain are smaller, its leaves are longer and narrower, and have short leaf stems. Hoary Vervain is also more partial to dry areas.

Photos taken at Long Lake Regional Park, New Brighton, MN, July 2006 and June 2007

Have you seen this plant in Ramsey County, or have any other comments about it?