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

In 2025, two more fragrances were added, and Ô de Lancôme introduced three fragrances with verbena and jasmine grown at the domain. —Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019

This tall, airy verbena is very striking when the wispy stems wave in the breeze. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 3 June 2025

The colors and smells of dwarf wild indigo, prairie verbena, golden smoke, firewheel, and purple aster, among other flora, are easy to love. —Jamie Siebrase, Denver Post, 22 May 2025

Prairie verbena makes a wonderful groundcover or edging plant in any garden bed. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 18 May 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