Herb Profile: Blue Vervain

Blue Vervain, Verbena hastata, Verbenaceae

Blue vervain is a hardy perennial native to North America. It grows 2–5 feet tall with square stems, opposite serrated leaves, and slender upright spikes of small purple-blue flowers that bloom mid to late summer.

Parts used: aerial parts, typically harvested during flowering.

Native habitat includes moist meadows, stream banks, and open fields.

Blue vervain has been used in North American and European herbal traditions as a bitter tonic and nervine. Eclectic physicians in the 19th century described its use for nervous tension, digestive sluggishness, and as a hepatic stimulant.

It is an intense bitter that when used in low doses is useful for a number of conditions. It contains bitters, tannins, saponins, volatile oils and iridoid glycosides.

Herbalist Matthew Wood describes several specific uses for blue vervain and for the type of constitutions it is helpful for. Blue vervain can be helpful for people who are very intense, who have impossibly high standards for themselves and that don’t have the strength to sustain this high level of activity that they demand of themselves.

Blue vervain’s dispersing effect makes it useful for conditions where there is tension or constrained energy and is useful for headaches or neck pain caused by extreme tension.
Blue vervain with its cooling and astringent properties is also useful for those with menopausal night sweats and hot flashes.

Preparations

The flowering tops are gathered in the summer and tinctured fresh in alcohol or dried for use as an infusion. Matthew Wood suggests a small dose of 1-3 drops, 1-3 times/day.

Contraindications

Large quantities could induce nausea.

Often avoided during pregnancy in historical texts due to theoretical uterine-stimulating effects

References

Matthew Wood’s books and The Herbal Apothecary by JJ Pursell

Growing Blue Vervain 

Hardiness: Zones 3–8
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Soil: Moist to wet soil
Water: Moderate to high
Propagation: Seed or division
Notes: Native perennial that thrives in meadow or wetland conditions.