Woolly Vervain
Verbena canescens
The dense, woolly white hairs covering its leaves act as a natural sunscreen and windbreak, trapping a micro-layer of humid air to prevent water loss.
- Scientific name
- Verbena canescens
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Lamiales › Verbenaceae › Verbena
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- desert
- Habitat
- Dry, rocky limestone soils, desert grasslands, hillsides, and arid shrublands.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (Photosynthesis)
- Range
- Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Northern Mexico, Central Mexico
- Size
- 10 to 50 cm in height
- Lifespan
- 3-5 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat destruction from urban expansion, overgrazing by livestock, and displacement by invasive plant species.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. You can safely observe or touch this plant at any distance. Please avoid stepping on them, as they are fragile. No special medical action is needed upon contact.
Verbena canescens , often called the woolly or gray vervain , is a plant species belonging to the family Verbenaceae.
Photo: Alison Northup, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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