Verbena gooddingii
Southwestern mock vervain
(c) Bruce Hartman, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Verbenaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Verbena gooddingii (Southwestern mock vervain) is a native California herb in the Verbenaceae family, recognized by desert habitat, large flowers, and thick spikes.
Southwestern mock vervain is a California native perennial found in eastern Mojave Desert and northeastern Sonoran Desert regions in sandy soils, washes, and rocky slopes at elevations of 1,200 to 2,000 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces purple-blue flowers in dense spikes up to 15 centimeters in diameter. Growing with multiple stems 10 to 45 centimeters tall, the plant can be decumbent to erect with soft, spreading hairs. Its leaves are 1 to 4 centimeters long, lanceolate to ovate, with basal leaves 3 to 5-lobed and short soft hairs covering the surface. The plant's delicate purple-blue flowers and soft-textured leaves make it a distinctive feature of desert landscapes.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species; key features are desert habitat, large flowers, and thick spikes
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy soils, washes, rocky slopes
Elevation: 1200-2000 m
California counties: San Bernardino
Outside California: to Utah, northern Mexico
Bloom period
Verbena gooddingii blooms Apr-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Glandularia: Verbena has nearly regular flowers; Glandularia has more obviously lobed flowers (often treated as same genus).; vs Phacelia: Verbena has tubular flowers with 5-toothed calyx; Phacelia has bowl-shaped flowers with coiled inflorescence.; vs Salvia: Verbena has nearly regular flowers; Salvia has distinctly two-lipped flowers with mint-family square stems.; vs Limonium: Verbena has tubular flowers producing nutlets; Limonium has papery flowers producing capsules.; vs Lavandula: Verbena has nearly regular small flowers; Lavandula has dense spikes of purple flowers with aromatic foliage.
Frequently asked questions
Is Verbena gooddingii native to California?
Yes. Verbena gooddingii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Verbena gooddingii bloom?
Verbena gooddingii blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Verbena gooddingii grow?
Verbena gooddingii occurs in San Bernardino, at elevations of 1200-2000 m.
What plant family does Verbena gooddingii belong to?
Verbena gooddingii is in the Verbenaceae family, genus Verbena.
What habitat does Verbena gooddingii grow in?
Verbena gooddingii grows in Sandy soils, washes, rocky slopes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.