verbena

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noun ver·be·na \(ˌ)vər-ˈbē-nə\

Definition of verbena

: vervain; especially : any of numerous garden vervains of hybrid origin widely grown for their showy spikes of white, pink, red, or blue flowers which are borne in profusion over a long season — compare lemon verbena

Recent Examples of verbena from the Web

Pentas, lantana, verbena, zinnia, salvias, Mexican butterfly weed and buddleia are excellent flowering plants to attract butterflies to your garden this summer.

— dan gill, NOLA.com, "This week's gardening tips: plant pumpkins now for fall Jack-o-Lanterns," 15 July 2017
Pentas, lantana, verbena, zinnia, salvias, Mexican butterfly weed and buddleia are excellent flowering plants to attract butterflies to your garden this summer.

— dan gill, NOLA.com, "This week's gardening tips: plant pumpkins now for fall Jack-o-Lanterns," 15 July 2017
From one of the herbs growing in planters outside the cafe, Sullivan will make lemon verbena-blueberry layer cake.

— carol deptolla, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Miss Molly's Cafe & Pastry Shop opening soon," 10 July 2017
Pentas, lantana, verbena, zinnia, salvias, Mexican butterfly weed and buddleia are excellent flowering plants to attract butterflies to your garden this summer.

— dan gill, NOLA.com, "This week's gardening tips: don't miss the City Park plant sale," 1 July 2017
Pentas, lantana, verbena, zinnia, salvias, Mexican butterfly weed and buddleia are excellent flowering plants to attract butterflies to your garden this summer.

— dan gill, NOLA.com, "How to attract butterflies, bees and other pollinators to your garden," 24 June 2017
Pentas, lantana, verbena, zinnia, salvias, Mexican butterfly weed and buddleia are excellent flowering plants to attract butterflies to your garden this summer.

— dan gill, NOLA.com, "How to attract butterflies, bees and other pollinators to your garden," 24 June 2017
For drinks, Mr. Patel has rounded up natural and biodynamic wines, and has also collaborated with a local brewer, J. Wakefield, on a saison-style beer called Paan Wala, made with betel leaf, lemon verbena and mango from Mr. Patel’s farm.

— matthew kronsberg, New York Times, "In Miami, Working Fresh Local Ingredients Into Indian Dishes," 23 June 2017
The lemon verbena, reminiscent of lemonade spiked with herbs?

— peter rowe, sandiegouniontribune.com, "From Belgium, with transatlantic gratitude — and beer," 8 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'verbena.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of verbena

borrowed from New Latin Verbena, a plant genus, going back to Medieval Latin verbēna “the plant Verbena officinalis,” going back to Latin, “leafy branch used ceremonially or medicinally” — more at vervain

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First Known Use: 1562

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