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South American Vervain

Verbena bonariensis

Found in roadsides, disturbed areas, streambanks, sand and gravel bars, old fields. Cultivated and escaping. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to Florida. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 82%

Height
2–5 feet
Spread
2–3 feet
Light
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist
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  • Dangleberry
    Gaylussacia frondosa

    Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Usually moist. Flowers: Pink or white.

    Similar growth form, height, spread

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    Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Yellow.

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    Different: flower color

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At a glance

Life cycle
Perennial
Bloom
May to October

Not yet recorded · Leaves

Recorded in 16 Florida counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 2

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

Streams, rivers and their banks

Flowing water and its banks, bars and rocky shoals.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

10CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including FL

Genus host records with ranges including FL · Verbena

  • Cenopis reticulatanaReticulated Fruitworm Moth
  • Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
  • Endothenia hebesanaVerbena Bud Moth
  • Junonia coeniaCommon Buckeye
  • Megalographa bilobaBilobed Looper Moth
  • Neogalea suniaLantana Stick Caterpillar, Catabena Moth
  • Sparganothis sulfureanaSparganothis Fruitworm Moth, Sulfur Leafroller, False Yellow-Head
  • Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
  • Omiodes simialis
  • Xenotemna pallorana
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
2Specialist beesPollen specialists

Pollen specialists · Verbena

  • Calliopsis michenerella
  • Calliopsis nebraskensis
Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
8BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Verbena

  • Acanthis flammeaCommon Redpoll
  • Anthus rubescensAmerican Pipit
  • Calcarius lapponicusLapland Longspur
  • Callipepla californicaCalifornia Quail
  • Colinus virginianusNorthern Bobwhite
  • Columbina passerinaCommon Ground Dove
  • Plectrophenax nivalisSnow Bunting
  • Zenaida macrouraMourning Dove
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Verbenaceae
Hardiness
Zones 7a–11b
Soil pH
Acidic to alkaline
Flower color
Purple

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Purple Top Vervain

Conservation status

Florida rankSNA
Global rankGNR
FL statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Sources