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

The most wonderful Agen prunes are stuffed with prune puree; Bill Yosses uses them in the verbena dan. —Jeffrey Steingarten, Vogue, 23 Nov. 2025

This time the undercover cops are dispatched to infiltrate a Galician verbena orchestra, setting up a high-energy culture clash of on-stage spectacle and off-stage schemes. —Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 12 Nov. 2025

Garden verbenas are bred to be prolific bloomers, putting on a profusion of flowers from late spring to fall in a range of colors. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2025

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

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