Verbena hastata (Blue Vervain)

I see this plant in the recessed areas of Powdermills Park in Pittsford, NY and in wet meadows all over our area- often with swamp milkweed. It punctuates the landscape with its candelabra form. This is not a plant that likes to be massed in multiples - it tends to operate best as several single clusters dotting the landscape with some space in between. It is commonly covered with small native bees. The Dutch Landscape Designer Piet Oudolf uses this plant masterfully in his Gardens. Lucky for us, it us native here, so not just visually novel but it has high ecological benefit in the landscape. It is also a beautiful plant for winter interest.