Verbena hastata

Description

The Blue vervain is a tall perennial that prefers moist sites, with numerous clusters of long, narrow flowering spikes. They have been compared with a candelabra branches on good reason. In not so moist conditions will remain shorter in stature.
The small bluish-purple flowers are opening gradually from mid-summer until late fall. Excellent pollinator friendly plant. Also it is a larval host for the Common buckeye butterfly.

A superb plant with the same see-through qualities like Verbena bonariensis but appropriate for the moist situations of the garden, around the pond edges, streams and naturalized areas.
It has been used as a medicinal plant for ailments like: headaches, depression, coughs and fevers.

Germination: cold/moist stratification required for about a 1 month. Sow in very early spring outdoors; or provide the cold stratification in the fridge and then bring the pot to warm conditions. The seeds are very fine and need light for germination.