Verbena (hastata)
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Jan Schultz Forest Plant Ecologist USDA FS - Hiawatha National Forest 1030 Wright Street Marquette, Michigan 49855 906.228.8491 906.228.4484 (fax) jschultz@fs.fed.us http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/copmc/ |
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| Family Scientific Name: | Verbenaceae | ||
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| Family Common Name: | Vervain Family | ||
| Scientific Name: | Verbena hastata L. | ||
| Common Name: | Blue vervain | ||
| Species Code: | VEHA2 | ||
| General Distribution: | Marshes, ditches, wet shores and stream banks, thickets and openings in swamps. Tall, conspicuous plant with candelabrum-like flower. | ||
| Propagation Goal: | plants | ||
| Propagation Method: | seed | ||
| ProductType: | Container (plug) | ||
| Time To Grow: | 0 | ||
| Propagule Collection: | Seed is very small and appears to ripen at individual rates along flower stalk. Seed is collected by hand from locally native plants within the eastern central Upper Peninsula. Flowers from June to September. Seed is four nutlets or mericarps harvested Sept. and Oct. | ||
| Propagule Processing: | Dry seeds for 1-2 weeks in open paper bags or open Rubbermaid-style bins, shaking or turning seed heads. Seeds are not cleaned. Once seeds have dried begin stratification. | ||
| Pre-Planting Treatments: | Stratification: mix the seeds with an equal amount of moist perlite or vermiculite. Put mixture into a Ziploc-style bag or a Rubbermaid-style container. Seal the container and proceed with at least one month of cold moist stratification in a cool dry place (refrigerator or cold garage0. Cold store until planted (up to 3 years). | ||
| Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops: |
Propagation Environment: Greenhouse film is made of Standard U.V. 3HL Clear 6 mil (J.R. Johnson's Greenhouse Supply Inc.) Fans run continuously to circulate the air. Vents open during the summer to allow for cooling. Container Type: grows best in 24-cell (2" diameter) 14"x8.5"x4" deep flats. Can be grown in virtually any plug size. Sowing Media: Scotts Redi-earth Plug and Seedling Mix. Contains vermiculite, and sphagnum peat moss. Soil is sterile. Thoroughly moisten the soil with water, mixing in the water with a trowel. Cover the holes in the bottom/sides of the plug tray cells with newspaper so that the soil does not fall out. Fill cells with soil and press soil down with a spoon. Refill the cell plugs with soil to the top, this time not pressing it down. Water the soil in the plug cells again. Sow the seeds by hand at a rate of about 2 seeds in each cell. Cover the seeds with a thin amount of soil. Sow year-round dow to low variable success rates. |
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| Establishment Phase: | From Jan. until Aug. the greenhouse thermostat is set at 65 degrees F both day andnight. Ambient greenhouse temperatures may reach 100 degrees F during the day in the summer. From Sept. through Dec. the thermostat is set at 55 degrees F. During this season ambient greenhouse temperatures may reach 75 degrees F during the day. Soil is kept consistently damp during germination. Water using a fine mist or light hose setting only. Newly planted trays are placed on the south side of the greenhouse. No artificial light is used. | ||
| Active Growth Phase: | The soil does not need to be consistently moist. The greenhouse holds plants at all stages of growth so the temperature setting stays the same for all plants at all stages of growth. Plant trays are moved to cooler north greenhouse tables. No fertilizers are used. | ||
| Hardening Phase: | In early-late spring, mature plants can be moved into a cold frame with a cover of material that diffuses sunlight to prevent scorching of the plants. When danger of frost has passed leave plants outside. Water less frequently. | ||
| Harvesting, Storage and Shipping: | In the Upper Peninsula, flats are transplanted into the field from late May to early October. Flats that are not planted in the summer remain in the greenhouse for another season. | ||
| Other Comments: | Attracts butterflies. Grows naturally in moist fields, meadows, prairies, and swamps. Easy to establish via plug planting. Adds vertical height to native plant gardens. Care must be taken to allow seed to fully ripen before harvesting from plant. Unripe seed may not ripen if removed. | ||
Citation:
Schultz, Jan; Beyer, Patty; Williams, Julie. 2002. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Verbena hastata L. plants USDA FS - Hiawatha National Forest Marquette, Michigan. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/04/16). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.
