Hoary Vervain

Verbena stricta

This plant is an hairy plant, but a beautiful one nonetheless.  The squarish stems and leaves are covered with fine hairs; the main stem usually produces a number of side stems, all stems ending in a terminal spike of closely-packed buds (as long as 1 foot), which open a few at a time, ascending the spike, as 5-lobed blue-purple flowers about 1/2 inch across. (It is reported that the flowers may be lavender or, rarely, pink or white.) Leaves, closely set along the lower part of the main stem, are about 3 inched long, ovate-pointed, in opposite pairs, and attached directly to the stem (sessile); they have jagged dentations along the edge, which sometimes turn upward, giving the impression of a fringe on quick glance. They are covered with woolly hairs, especially underneath.

2-4 feet, sun - partial sun.

Summer (June-September).

The woolly, closely-spaced leaves with their 'fringe'.

11 July 2020.

Hoary Vervain, 20 July 2020.