Review rated by 23 Ciao members on average: very helpful
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There are two verbenas, one is also known as vervain (Verbena officinalis) and the other is lemon verbena. Vervain is a herb often included in lists of plants for a herb garden, but not often grown. It is quite straggly in growth and has long flower stems with very small blue-lilac flowers that are not very spectacular. For gardeners who want a herb garden to look pretty, like a herbaceous or mixed border, this is one I would miss out. Vervain used to grow as a common wild flower in UK and can still be found if you know where to look for it. You can buy seeds from a good seed merchant such as Suffolk Herbs, but plants are not often seen in garden centres. If you want to use vervain, it has an interesting reputation as one of the ingredients of a love potion.
Lemon verbena is another thing entirely (Aloysia triphylla or sometimes Lippia citriodora(same plant)), and I have this in my herb garden. It's not fully hardy and so needs to be covered in winter. I think I might have lost mine this winter with the cold and damp and so may have to replant it. It comes up quite late though, so I am still waiting to see if it's survived. Plant it near the path so you can brush the leaves as you walk past. The smell of the pointy leaves of lemon verbena remind me of my grandmother's soap(Bronnley Lemon Soap), shaped like a lemon, made by Bronnley. It's sharp, clean citrus scent which is wonderful on a hot day. You can put lemon verbena leaves into cold drinks such as fruit punches, Pimms or even G&T. You can also dry them and use them in pot pourri where they make a good insect repellent which is much nicer than aerosol anti-bug stuff.
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