Verbena Stricta

Hoary vervain is a vigorous North American prairie perennial with upright stems and coarse, grey-green leaves covered in soft white hairs. Narrow pencil-like spikes carry blue-purple flowers from the base upwards over many weeks, attracting butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. A deep root system gives excellent drought tolerance, while the clump remains vertical and easy to combine with grasses and late daisies. Verbena stricta thrives in full sun and lean sandy or rocky soil and may naturalise gently from seed where open ground is available.