Verbena bonariensis

Purple top vervain

Family: Verbenaceae · Type: annual · Not Native

Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes

Purple top vervain is a naturalized annual found in southern Sacramento Valley, northern San Joaquin Valley, and northern San Francisco Bay in disturbed, often wet places at elevations below 200 meters. Flowering from June to October, this plant produces white to purple flowers in dense spikes clustered with 8 to 17 individual spikes. Growing up to 1.5 meters tall with erect, smooth to slightly rough stems, it develops a robust and upright structure. Its leaves are elliptic to lanceolate, 7 to 15 centimeters long, with coarsely serrated edges and a base that is cordate to truncate. The flowers are small, approximately 5 to 6 millimeters long, with bracts 3 to 3.5 millimeters in length.

Habitat: Disturbed, often wet places, fields

Bloom period: Jun-Oct

Elevation: < 200 m

Bioregions: s ScV, n SnJV, n SnFrB

California counties: Santa Cruz, Los Angeles, Marin, Sacramento, Merced, Placer, Glenn, Monterey, Yuba, Butte, Tehama, Contra Costa, Trinity, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, San Joaquin, Yolo

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.