verbena

noun

ver·​be·​na (ˌ)vər-ˈbē-nə 

: 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

Examples of verbena in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Don’t count out annual flowers such as dahlias, zinnias and Bolivian verbena and even some non-native autumn bloomers such as toad lilies. —Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2025

To begin with, it must be understood that the uniquely spectacular verbena flower clusters, although no more than a few inches wide, may consist of more than 20 individual florets. —Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 15 Aug. 2025

Groom, deadhead, and cut back leggy annuals like petunias and verbena. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 15 Aug. 2025

Brewmaster Michele, originally from northern Italy, crafts small-batch artisanal beers using seasonal ingredients like quince, fig, verbena, and golden mimosa. —Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1562, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing verbena

• lemon verbena
• sand verbena

Rhymes for verbena

• arena
• athena
• cantina
• carina
• carmina
• catena
• czarina
• domina
• equina
• farina
• galena
• glossina

Kids Definition

verbena

noun

ver·​be·​na (ˌ)vər-ˈbē-nə 

: any of a genus of numerous plants including some that are often grown in gardens for their showy spikes of white, pink, red, or blue flowers