what is verbena

Verbena, also known as vervain or verveine, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Verbenaceae, containing about 150 species of annual and perennial herbaceous or semi-woody plants. The leaves are usually opposite, simple, and in many species hairy, often densely so, while the flowers are small, with five petals, and borne in dense spikes, typically some shade of blue, but may also be white, pink, or purple. Verbena is used in traditional medicine as an herbal tonic, but there is no high-quality evidence for its effectiveness. It is also used as a flavoring agent in alcoholic beverages. Verbena is generally safe when taken by mouth in food amounts, but there isnt enough reliable information to know if it is safe when used in medicinal amounts. Some species, hybrids, and cultivars of verbena are used as ornamental plants, and they are drought-resistant, tolerating full to partial sun, and enjoy well-drained, average soils.