Other Names: American blue vervain, Blue Vervain, Herb of Grace, Herbe Sacrée, Herba veneris, Simpler's Joy, Swamp Verbena, Vervain, Wild hyssop, Wild Vervain
Habitat: North American native perennial herb, found growing along roadsides, in open sunny fields, and waste places throughout the United States and southern Canada. Cultivation: Blue Vervain succeeds in any moderately fertile well-drained but moisture retentive soil in a sunny position, sow seed in early spring or root division in spring. Basal cuttings in early summer. Harvest the shoots with plenty of underground stem for transplanting. Growing erect from 2-3 feet tall, with square stems and opposite branches. The leaves are opposite, serrate, and lanceolate with short leaf stalks. The flowers are small and pale-lilac, 5 petaled and arranged on long numerous spikes in a panicle. Blue Vervain flowers bloom from June to September. Gather entire plant just before flowers open, dry for later herb use. Gather after flowers fade and dry to loosen seed for roasting.
Properties: Blue Vervain is edible and medicinal. Vervain had many uses in Native American culture as food and medicine. The seed are edible when roasted and are ground into a powder and used as a piñole (an Indian flour).