PlantFiles: Rough Verbena, Stiff Verbena, Sandpaper Verbena, Upright Verbena, Tuberous Vervain
Verbena rigida

When I moved into my house, I entirely replanted the backyard, with the exception of two plants. One was a Lilac bush that I cared for while everything else withered in the Albuquerque, NM summer heat. The only plant that lived, despite 8 months of no watering and the occasional attempts to uproot it, was a Verbena rigida (I had no idea what it was at the time). Since it clearly demonstrated a strong will to live, I decided to see how the plant behaved. And I've been thoroughly impressed.

The vivid purple flowers are very attractive to butterflies and bloom from mid Spring until the first hard frost. The plant is a fast-growing groundcover with a very low habit. The folliage is pretty, but is unpleasant to touch (thus "Sandpaper Verbena"). For some strange reason, my enormous Bernese Mountain Dogs love to lay on this plant, which neither seem to mind, and all parties involved spring right back. I would/will happily plant V. rigida whenever I need an attractive groundcover that doesn't need water or any special attention.

Verbena rigida happily grows in lawns and roadside easements in Central and Coastal Texas. I've seen it thriving in soggy ditches and hard-pan road embankments. Its tuberous roots enable it to survive drought conditions and may go dry-dormant. With regular watering, this plant may spread rapidly but if you like deep purple verbena flowers for months on end and butterflies, you probably won't mind the occasional need to pull up stray rhizomes.