Blue Vervain Verbena hastata is a graceful plant in the wetland, with numerous crowning spikes of blossoms that give a candelabra-like appearance. Each tubular, blue-violet flower is only about 1/4 inch. They bloom on spikes held on the very crown of the plant, opening from the bottom up in July's heat.
Both short-tongued and long-tongued bees visit Vervain for nectar. Later, the seeds will be a staple food for many small mammals and birds like Cardinals, Sparrows, and Juncos.
