Family Verbenaceae.
Originating from Europe.
- Wiry purple stems bear a haze of small purple-pink flowers.
- Flowering continues from early summer until the first frosts.
- Easy to grow, hardy and drought-tolerant in full sun.
Purple Vervain in Your Garden
Purple haze (we’re sure Jimi Hendrix was singing about this plant) all summer and autumn. Its handsome lobed foliage is dark purple-green, making an eye-catching backdrop for the flowering stems. Starting life as upright flower spikes, they continue to grow into a crazy-looking cloud of whip-like stems, practically black in colour.
Verbena officinalis ‘Bampton’ is hardy in all but the coldest, exposed UK gardens. It grows to 1m tall and wide in 1-2 years, perfect for rich, dark contrast in Norfolk’s traditional mixed borders. It loves exposed, sunny coastal climates, making it an ideal selection for Suffolk’s gravel and Mediterranean-style gardens.
V.Bampton’s unique, soft-textured, and airy form buzzes with bees and butterflies who find its nectar irresistible. It makes a striking contrast with silver foliage and spiky plants, texturally and in colour. Its nearly black shades of purple and bright pink-purple blooms are unlike any other perennial.
Did you know?
The species Verbena officinalis is steeped in ancient folklore and has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years. It has been known both as the ‘Holy Herb’ for warding off evil spirits, and ‘Evil Eye’ due to its Roman connection with Venus and its use as an aphrodisiac.
Growing Tips for Your Purple Summer Flowering Perennial, Verbena officinalis ‘Bampton’
- Soil and sun: in full sun, in any free-draining soil that is not heavy and wet in winter.
- Planting: From early spring to early autumn.
- Watering: Moderate; drought-tolerant once established. Water regularly in the first summer while rooting out.
- Pruning: Cut back hard in late autumn or early spring to encourage strong new growth.
This exceptional variety was found growing in a public garden in the Devon village of Bampton. When selecting a purple summer flowering perennial, there are few better choices. Drought-tolerant, wildlife-friendly, with a long flowering season of outstanding colour and texture, it is a go-to variety.
