verbena

American  

[ver-bee-nuh] / vərˈbi nə /

noun

1. any of various plants of the genus Verbena, especially any of several hybrid species cultivated for their showy flower clusters.

2. any of various other plants, as the lemon verbena or sand verbena.

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verbena British  

/ vɜːˈbiːnə /

noun

1. any plant of the verbenaceous genus Verbena, chiefly of tropical and temperate America, having red, white, or purple fragrant flowers: much cultivated as garden plants See also vervain

2. any of various similar or related plants, esp the lemon verbena

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Etymology

Origin of verbena

1560–70; < Medieval Latin verbēna, Latin: leafy twig; see vervain

Example Sentences

Yonder Cider in Wenatchee, Wash., takes inspiration from cocktails to create ciders such as the Greyhound-like Sunnyslope, with pink grapefruit and lemon verbena.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 25, 2025

Vermont-based Runamok has a serious selection of honeys to play with: Try those infused with hibiscus flower, Arbol chiles or lemon verbena, to name a few.

From Washington Times • Jul. 18, 2023

Every inch of the perimeter is covered with plastic and ceramic pots brimming with buckwheat and verbena, dudleya, penstemon and black sage.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2023

I cut fragrant handfuls of peppermint and lemon verbena from the boxes on my deck and then spread them out to dry.

From New York Times • Oct. 10, 2022

“A, B, C, vitamin D, vitamin D, vitamin D . . .” The Super-Vox-Wurlitzeriana had risen to a sobbing crescendo; and suddenly the verbena gave place, in the scent- circulating system, to an intense patchouli.

From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley