This Texas native has vibrant, long-lasting purple blooms that light up the landscape.
Verbena in the Garden Ecosystem
There are many different types of verbena.
However, the type that’s in our yard in abundance is Glandularia bipinnatifida, which is a drought-tolerant prairie plant. This plant is a survivor. Its extremely resilient, often turning up in neglected, overgrazed areas to help protect and restore poor soil. Its bitter quality also keeps it from becoming deer food, which is another reason it makes a great plant ally for Texas backyard ecosystems.
Working with Verbena
Verbena’s purple color and square stem are indicators of its relaxing properties, as herbs with purple flowers and herbs with square stems (like mint-family plants) are often nervines. They support the nervous system in various ways. Verbena is often indicated for overly driven people who have a hard time relaxing and enjoying the present moment because they’re so rigidly focused on what’s ahead of them. It can help them step outside their tunnel vision and see the bigger picture.
