07/20/2026
Blue vervain, also called swamp verbena, is a short-lived, herbaceous perennial that often behaves like a biennial. It readily self-seeds to maintain its place in the landscape, where it prefers full sun and moist-to-wet soils. Blue vervain thrives in rain gardens, bioswales, pond edges, and other low-lying areas, and is generally resistant to deer and serious pests. In Ken's opinion, it is a must-have plant for residential rain gardens and green infrastructure projects.
It also has deep cultural significance to WNY's indigenous people, which you can read more about on our blog — https://mastersons.net/blog/parkers-picks-blue-vervain