White Vervain

Plant Info

Also known as:	Nettle-leaf Vervain
Scientific name:	Verbena urticifolia
Family:	Verbena (Verbenaceae)
Life cycle:	perennial
Origin:	native
Habitat:	shade to part shade; thickets, edges of woods
Bloom season:	summer
Plant height:	3 to 5 feet
USDA PLANTS database:	Minnesota county distribution map
Spotted in Ramsey County at:	Long Lake Regional Park Rice Creek Trail Corridor Vadnais/Snail Lake Regional Park

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Detailed Information

Flower:

Flowers are in numerous slender spikes that arise from the leaf axils near the top of the plant, and branch off at the top of the main stem. Individual flowers are white, tubular with 5 lobes and not more than 1/8 inch across. Only a few flowers are open on each spike at a time.

Leaves and stem:

Leaves are up to 6 inches long and 2½ inches wide, coarsely toothed, softly hairy, oval to egg-shaped with a rounded or abruptly tapering base, sharply pointed tip and a leaf stem up to 2 inches long. Attachment is opposite, There are sometimes small leaflets at the leaf axil. The main stem is square and hairy.

Notes:

When White Vervain is in full bloom, it can have dozens of spikes flying out in all directions.

More photos

• White Vervain plant, about 4 feet tall
• more plants

Photos taken at Long Lake Regional Park, New Brighton, MN and Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park, Coon Rapids, MN August 2006 and 2008

Comments

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

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Please: Do not ask about where to buy seed or other gardening questions, are plants edible, etc. I am not a horticulturist or botanist, just an enthusiastic hobbyist so I probably don't know the answer. Please check the links page for additional resources. -thanks much

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