Dictionary:

verbena

  (vər-bē'nə)

1. Any of various New World plants of the genus Verbena, especially one of several species cultivated for their showy spikes of variously colored flowers. Also called vervain.
2. Any of several similar plants, such as the lemon verbena.

[Latin verbēna, sacred foliage.]

A lemon flavoured herb, the leaves of Lipppia citroidora.

For more information on verbena, visit Britannica.com.

A genus of plants in the family Verbenaceae.

• V. bonariensis — called also purple top; suspected of causing sickness and abortion in cattle.
• V. officinalis — contains a glycoside verbenalin reputed to cause contraction of the uterus and photosensitization. Called also common vervain.
• V. rigida — thought to cause photosensitization. Called also Verbena venosa, wild verbena.
• V. tenuisecta — suspected of causing deaths in chickens and photosensitization in sheep. Called also Mayne's pest.

Ver-bee'na. Vervain . Tender or hardy annual or perennial herbs, comprising about 200 species, natives of America, with the exception of a few species found in Eurasia.

Description
Leaves generally opposite, usually lobed or toothed. Flowers in various shades of white, lilac, red, and purple, small, sometimes stalked, in terminal spikes or terminal roundish clusters. Calyx tubular, 5-toothed. Corolla tubular, its lobes 5, the tube long and narrow. Stamens 4, in pairs.

How to Grow
Verbena seed is notoriously hard to germinate--only 40 percent can be expected to grow. At 70-75° F (21-24° C) germination occurs in 14-21 days. Sowing seeds early indoors usually gives more predictable results than direct-seeding. Sow seeds indoors in light sandy soil or use a cold frame. Transplant outdoors when danger of frost is past. Set plants out in full sun except in the Deep South and desert areas, where light shade will be needed to reduce drought stress and insect damage. Susceptible to leafminers. Verbenas prefer warm weather.

Verbena - hybrida
Garden Verbena . To 12 in. (30 cm) high. Flowers fragrant, pink, red, purple, yellow, or white, in compact terminal clusters, 2-3 in. (5.0-7.5 cm) wide. Many cultivars are available, including upright, trailing, or dwarf kinds. This hybrid derives from V. peruviana and probably some other subspecies. Tender annual.

Verbena peruviana
Creeping 12-24 in. (30-60 cm) long, rooting at the nodes. Flowers bright red in clusters, 1-2 in. (2.5-5.0 cm) wide. S. Brazil to Argentina. Tender annual.

Verbena
Narrow-leafed Vervain (Verbena simplex)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Lamiales Family: Verbenaceae Genus: Verbena
Species
See text

This article is about the plant. For other meanings, see Verbena (disambiguation).

Verbena (Verbena or Vervain) is a genus of annual and perennial herbaceous or semi-woody flowering plants with about 250 species in the family Verbenaceae. The majority of the species are native to the New World from Canada south to southern Chile, but some are also native in the Old World, mainly in Europe including V. officinalis, V. supina.

The leaves are usually opposite, simple, and in many species hairy, often densely so. The flowers are small, white, pink, purple or blue, with five petals, and borne in dense spikes.

Selected species

Verbena alata Verbena bonariensis Verbena bracteata Verbena brasiliensis Verbena canadensis Verbena carolina Verbena corymbosa Verbena elegans Verbena gracilis Verbena hastata

Verbena hispida Verbena incisa Verbena laciniata Verbena lasiostachys Verbena macdougallii Verbena menthifolia Verbena officinalis Verbena peruviana Verbena phlogiflora Verbena rigida

Verbena robusta Verbena runyonii Verbena simplex Verbena stricta Verbena supina Verbena tenera Verbena tenuisecta Verbena teucroides Verbena urticifolia Verbena xutha

Diseases

Main article: List of verbena diseases

Purple Verbena

Uses and legends

Vervain is believed to be a galactagogue^{[citation needed]}.

Folk legend states that vervain (Common Vervain V. officinalis) was used to stanch Jesus's wounds after his removal from the cross. Legends also state that vervain is used to protect people from vampires. It says that mixing it in an herbal tea, keeping it near you, and using oil extracted from it in a bath can protect you.

Herbal Medicine

Vervain can be chopped finely and boiled with water to make tea. The tea has been used as a herbal remedy for insomnia at night and for general ailments during the day.

Vervain Tea Recipes

FEVER REDUCER
2 tsp dried Catnip
1 tsp dry Vervain

Pour 2 cups boiling water over herbs. Steep 10 minutes & strain.

INSOMNIA
1 ½ oz dried Vervain leaves
1 oz Chamomile
½ oz Spearmint

Mix all and add to 1 cup boiling water. Steep 8 minutes; strain.

RELAXANT
1 ½ oz dried Vervain leaves
1 oz Valerian root
½ oz Devils Hoof or Juniper

Allow to steep for 20 mins, use hot but NOT boiling water else you will destroy the active ingredient in the Valerian.
Strain, then drink 20 mins before bedtime.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Verbena

Lemon verbena

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
n. - verbena, jernurt

Nederlands (Dutch)
verbena (plant)

Français (French)
n. - verveine

Deutsch (German)
n. - (Bot.) Eisenkraut, Zitronenstrauch

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (φυτολ.) ιεροβοτάνη, βερβένα

Italiano (Italian)
verbena

Português (Portuguese)
n. - verbena (f) (Bot.)

Русский (Russian)
растение вербена

Español (Spanish)
n. - verbena

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - järnört

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
马鞭草属植物, 马鞭草科

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 馬鞭草屬植物, 馬鞭草科

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 버베나 (마편초과)

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - ビジョザクラ

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) رعي الحمام ( نبات عطري)‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮ורבנה (צמח נוי תרבותי)‬

If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.

To select your translation preferences click here.