About Verbena macdougalii A.Heller
Verbena macdougalii A.Heller is a verbena species that goes by multiple common names: MacDougal verbena, New Mexico vervain, hillside verbena, and spike verbena. It is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant belonging to the verbena family, Verbenaceae. V. macdougalii is the most common tall verbena in New Mexico, where it grows in mountainous regions throughout the state. It can also be found growing in Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and west Texas. This plant grows at elevations between 5,900 and 9,000 feet, in habitats including open flats, valleys, and disturbed areas like roadsides. It reaches approximately 3 feet in height, and produces three or more tall, thick spikes. Each spike holds a ring of small blue or purple flowers. Its stems are four-sided and very hairy. V. macdougalii can be told apart from the similar species Verbena hastata by two features: V. macdougalii has thicker spikes, and the hair on its stems spreads outward.
