vervain

American  

[vur-veyn] / ˈvɜr veɪn /

noun

1. any plant belonging to the genus Verbena, of the verbena family, having elongated or flattened spikes of stalkless flowers.

---

vervain British  

/ ˈvɜːveɪn /

noun

1. any of several verbenaceous plants of the genus Verbena, having square stems and long slender spikes of purple, blue, or white flowers

---

Etymology

Origin of vervain

1350–1400; Middle English vervaine < Anglo-French, Middle French verveine < Latin verbēna leafy twig, holy bough carried by priests

Example Sentences

But move in closer and you’ll find some surprising details‚ including a ground-level arcade dotted with rough tree ferns and a rooftop patio planted with foxtail agaves and purpletop vervain.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 21, 2023

Hummingbirds slid their noses into plantain lily hostas and delicate stems of purpletop vervain.

From Washington Post • Aug. 31, 2022

On sunny days, they dined on strands of purpletop vervain, an annual plant that magically returned in other parts of the garden this year, its seeds carried by the wind.

From Washington Post • Aug. 31, 2022

She has a fondness for the supernatural; so the book is aclog with fairies, a white witch, magic herbs, and vervain brews.

From Time Magazine Archive

For the fever we put ice on his face and chest; for the pain we gave him lobelia, blue vervain and skullcap.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover