Blue Vervain

(24-48" tall x 12-30" wide) Although It typically grows to 4' tall, Blue Vervain can tower up to 6' tall in optimal conditions. With tiny purple-blue flowers arranged on tall spikes, Blue Vervain attracts a wide range of bees, birds, butterflies, and other pollinators. Native to all of the US and most of Canada, Blue Vervain is an important nectar source during its mid-summer to early fall bloom time. Cardinals, sparrows, other birds will eat the seeds. The caterpillars of the Verbena Moth feed on the leaves, and this plant is the larval host plant for the Common Buckeye Butterfly. Plant in full sun to part shade and average to moist soils, and it will spread and naturalize through rhizomes. Because it tolerates wet sites better than most plants, Blue Vervain is an ideal choice for rain gardens, and is an excellent alternative to invasive plants such as Purple Loosestrife. If you need a large, dramatic accent for a flower arrangement, a few Vervain candelabras will do the trick! Pinching the tops of plants will encourage branching and a bushier habit. Also called American Blue Vervain and Swamp Vervain. Adaptable, easy to grow, and  hardy in zones 3 to 8.