Verbena aristigera: Country Or Region Of Origin
South America
Plant Profile: Verbena aristigera
Names
Moss Verbena
Phonetic Spelling:ver-BEE-nah ten-yoo-ih-SEK-tah
Genus:Verbena
Species:aristigera
Family:Verbenaceae
Moss Verbena is a resilient, spreading plant known for its ability to withstand drought. It has become established in regions from Georgia to Florida, often found in abandoned fields, neglected areas, and along roadways. This plant thrives in full sunlight and well-drained soil, showing adaptability to sandy and nutrient-poor conditions. Outside its typical growing range, it can be cultivated as an annual.
Verbena aristigera Feature Summary
Verbena aristigera Image Gallery
Tags
#evergreen
#showy flowers
#full sun tolerant
#drought tolerant
#wildlife plant
#nectar plant
#cpp
#spreading
#groundcover
#pollinator plant
#fantz
#poor soils tolerant
#butterfly friendly
Similar Plants
Verbena aristigera is often confused with:
Verbena aristigera Feature Summary
Attributes
South America
Southern US
Perennial
Seed
Stem Cutting
Flowers
Up to 2-inch clusters of 5 to 15 blue, purple, violet to lilac flowers; strongest bloom in spring, then declining in summer heat; flowering returns with cooler temperatures
Purple/Lavender
Blue
Spring
Summer
Fall
4-5 petals/rays
Star
< 1 inch
Leaves
Opposite, fernlike, almost mossy, finely cut triangular dark green leaves, 1 to 1.5 in. long
Broadleaf Evergreen
Green
Simple
Opposite
Entire
1-3 inches
< 1 inch
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Ground Cover
Broadleaf Evergreen
Spreading
Medium
Low
Fine
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Coastal
8b
8a
9a
9b
10a
10b
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Stem
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Rock Garden
Pollinator Garden
Mass Planting
Small groups
Drought
Container
Walkways
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Small Space
Slope/Bank
Rock Wall
Butterflies
Pollinators
Verbena aristigera Image Gallery
Verbena aristigera Attributes
Verbena aristigera: Distribution
Southern US
Verbena aristigera: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Verbena aristigera: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Verbena aristigera Flowers
Verbena aristigera: Flower Description
Up to 2-inch clusters of 5 to 15 blue, purple, violet to lilac flowers; strongest bloom in spring, then declining in summer heat; flowering returns with cooler temperatures
Verbena aristigera: Flower Color
Blue
Purple/Lavender
Verbena aristigera: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Verbena aristigera: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Verbena aristigera: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Verbena aristigera: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Verbena aristigera: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Verbena aristigera: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Verbena aristigera Leaves
Verbena aristigera: Leaf Description
Opposite, fernlike, almost mossy, finely cut triangular dark green leaves, 1 to 1.5 in. long
Verbena aristigera: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Verbena aristigera: Leaf Color
Green
Verbena aristigera: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Verbena aristigera: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Verbena aristigera: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Verbena aristigera: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Verbena aristigera: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Verbena aristigera: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Verbena aristigera Whole Plant Traits
Verbena aristigera: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Verbena aristigera: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Verbena aristigera: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Verbena aristigera: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Verbena aristigera: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Verbena aristigera: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Verbena aristigera Cultural Conditions
Verbena aristigera: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Verbena aristigera: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Verbena aristigera: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Verbena aristigera: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Verbena aristigera: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
10a
10b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Verbena aristigera: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Verbena aristigera Stem
Verbena aristigera: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Verbena aristigera Landscape
Verbena aristigera: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Verbena aristigera: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Verbena aristigera: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Verbena aristigera: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Verbena aristigera: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
