Bloomipedia
Bigbract verbena (Verbena bracteata)
Photo: Darius Regnier via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized

Flower profile

Bigbract verbena

Verbena bracteata

Native in the lower 48

Bigbract verbena is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 4 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in June–September.

45states
4of our state lists
7,868U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Colorado, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota

Quick look

Verbena bracteata is a species of verbena known by the common names bracted vervain, bigbract verbena, prostrate vervain, and carpet vervain. It is native to North America where it is widespread, occurring throughout the continent except for northern Canada and southern Mexico. It occurs in many types of habitat, especially disturbed areas. It typically blooms between the months of May and October.

  • It belongs to the Verbenaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a annual, biennial, perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 45 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. NatureServe
  • In Colorado, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–September. iNaturalist
  • In Nebraska, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–September. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,671 research-grade sightings of it in Colorado, ranking #96 among the 110 flowers on our Colorado list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 247 research-grade sightings of it in Nebraska, ranking #58 among the 108 flowers on our Nebraska list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 180 research-grade sightings of it in South Dakota, ranking #81 among the 108 flowers on our South Dakota list. iNaturalist

Bigbract verbena gift ideas

Handmade bigbract verbena gifts from independent makers.

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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (768 records)
Bloom time in each of our 4 states
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
ColoradoNativeJune–September1,671
NebraskaNativeMay–September247
South DakotaNativefew records180
North DakotaNativefew records148

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
Colorado
No list Colorado has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Colorado ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in Colorado.
Nebraska
Not listed Not on Nebraska threatened and endangered species (163 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 4, § 004). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Nebraska. 163 NAC 4-004
South Dakota
No list South Dakota's endangered and threatened list (ARSD 41:10:02) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's South Dakota ranks for plants. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in South Dakota.
North Dakota
No list North Dakota has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's North Dakota ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in North Dakota.
Rare elsewhere
No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records bigbract verbena in 45 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

Colorado counties with USDA records: Adams, Alamosa, Archuleta, Baca, Bent, Boulder, Chaffee, Cheyenne, Conejos, Costilla, Crowley, Delta, Denver, Douglas, El Paso, Fremont, Garfield, Gilpin, Gunnison, Huerfano, Jefferson, Kiowa, Kit Carson, La Plata, Larimer, Las Animas, Lincoln, Logan, Mesa, Moffat, Montezuma, Montrose, Morgan, Otero, Phillips, Prowers, Rio Blanco, Rio Grande, Saguache, Sedgwick, Washington, Weld, Yuma.

Nebraska counties with USDA records: Antelope, Arthur, Banner, Boone, Box Butte, Brown, Buffalo, Cass, Cedar, Chase, Cherry, Cheyenne, Colfax, Cuming, Custer, Dawes, Dawson, Deuel, Dodge, Douglas, Dundy, Franklin, Furnas, Garden, Gosper, Hall, Harlan, Hayes, Hitchcock, Hooker, Howard, Johnson, Kearney, Keith, Keya Paha, Kimball, Knox, Lancaster, Lincoln, Logan, Loup, McPherson, Nemaha, Otoe, Perkins, Phelps, Pierce, Platte, Polk, Red Willow, Richardson, Rock, Sarpy, Saunders, Scotts Bluff, Sheridan, Sherman, Sioux, Thomas, Valley, Washington, Webster, Wheeler.

South Dakota counties with USDA records: Brule, Butte, Charles Mix, Clay, Codington, Corson, Custer, Dewey, Fall River, Gregory, Haakon, Hanson, Harding, Hughes, Jackson, Kingsbury, Lake, Lawrence, Lincoln, Lyman, Marshall, Meade, Minnehaha, Pennington, Perkins, Potter, Roberts, Stanley, Sully, Todd, Turner, Union, Walworth, Yankton.

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Sources