Hoary Verbena
Verbena stricta
- Native to:
- Canada, United States
USFWS Mountain-Prairie (www.flickr.com)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Verbenaceae
- Genus:
- Verbena
- Species:
- Verbena stricta
- USDA Symbol:
- VEST
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual | Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 120 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- purple, blue, lavender
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Catabena lineolata
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Black and (Bombus auricomus), Lemon cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus citrinus), Nevada bumble bee (Bombus nevadensis), Northern amber (Bombus borealis), Red-belted bumble (Bombus rufocinctus), 🛑Rusty-patched bumble (Bombus affinis), Two-spotted Longhorn (Melissodes bimaculatus), Yellow bumble (Bombus fervidus) Moths:Catabena lineolata Butterflies:Common Wood-Nymph (Cercyonis pegala), Small White (Pieris rapae)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies, hummingbirds
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from root crown following fire; common component of fire-managed prairies.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- dry, sandy, well-drained soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- thrives in open, sunny areas
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–28 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require light for germination; do not cover deeply. Cold stratification improves germination rates.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI