Verbena hastata

Verbena hastata is a plant native to the eastern United States, extending down to Virginia and Tennessee. It is naturally found in sunny, moist (to wet) habitats. It is best cultivated in similar conditions, although it tolerates some shade. It produces clusters of purple flowers in the late summer that attract lots of pollinators, including some specialized bees. Songbirds eat the seeds in the fall. In the height of the growing season, this plant reaches around 3 feet tall. It dies back almost completely in the winter, but maintains a basal rosette of leaves. Leaving the dormant stems through winter provides necessary over-wintering habitat for pollinators. Verbena hastata works well as a specimen plant in a rain garden or yard, or for stormwater control plantings.