Rigid Vervain
Verbena stricta
Violet-purple spikes on woolly upright stems, midsummer into fall. Thrives in dry sand, rocky soil, and full sun without supplemental water.
Typically 1 pint–1 gal · $9–$30 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
One of the best natives for dry, lean, sunny spots that other perennials won't tolerate. months of violet bloom with zero supplemental water needed.
Rigid Vervain earns its name from the stiffly upright stems covered in soft, woolly hairs. The whole plant has a slightly fuzzy texture that you notice when you brush against it on a warm afternoon. From midsummer through early fall, the branching stems carry dense terminal spikes of deep violet-purple flowers that open progressively and draw an impressive parade of small native bees, butterflies, and skippers. The flowers are small individually but abundant, and the color is deep and rich in full sun. This is a plant for the challenging spots: dry sandy banks, road cuts, lean rocky soils, full sun. It doesn't just tolerate these conditions: it thrives in them, forming sturdy clumps that bloom for months without supplemental water. In a meadow planting, it fills the midsummer gap between early season bloomers and the fall aster/goldenrod rush. It self-seeds freely, which makes it excellent for naturalizing but requires some editing in formal borders.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown rigid vervain propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Dry
- Mature size
- 1.5–3 ft · 12–24 in wide
- Bloom time
- Midsummer through early fall
- Bloom color
- Purple
- USDA zones
- 4–8
- Family
- Verbenaceae
- Native range
- Central North America, from Ontario south to Texas; dry prairies, roadsides, and disturbed areas
Care notes for rigid vervain.
Full sun, dry to average well-drained soil. Thrives in sandy, gravelly, or rocky sites. Does not tolerate poor drainage or rich, moist soil. Minimal care needed. avoid fertilizing and heavy mulching. Self-seeds prolifically; deadhead after peak bloom to reduce spread if needed. Short-lived but replaces itself readily from seed. Cut old stems to ground in spring.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside rigid vervain.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.