Sacred Plant

In its genus category - Verbena - is Latin for 'sacred plant' likely harking back to the past when this plant may have been used for purported medicinal properties.

From our daily walk there is now this.

Coming online in the past several weeks is Verbena hastata - Blue Vervain - a native plant with a long stem and a bright blue flower spike that is now blooming.  

Big, giant clumps of them as in the photo.

To be clear we never panted a single stalk of this stuff.  It was here all the time - its progeny slumbering in the heavy wet clay soil constrained by invasive plants.  It was only after decades of burning and nuking invasive cool season grasses that this striking native plant was released from prison.

This plant likes wet feet.  And wet feet we have around here what with the abundant precipitation. The bees and butterflies like this flower for its nectar. 

Stay tuned as more late summer native plants begin to show-off their colorful flowers.