Verbena Family (Verbenaceae)

Some species in the Verbena family are cultivated for their showy flowers. The most common garden verbenas in North American gardens are Verbena hortensis and V. hybrida, both frequently used as bedding plants. Two native species with showy flowers, the large-flowered verbena (Verbena canadensis) and small-flowered verbena (V. bipinnatifida), are commonly grown in gardens, and are often crossed with other verbenas to develop new varieties for horticulture. Purple mulberry (Callicarpa purpurea) is an attractive Asian shrub that is sometimes cultivated in North America.

Several vines and shrubs in the genus Clerodendrum are sometimes grown as ornamentals in temperate areas, including the bleeding-heart (C. thomsoniae) and the pagoda flower (C. paniculatum). The shrub known as the lilac chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus) is sometimes cultivated for its attractive, blue or white flowers. The beauty-berry (Callicarpa americana) is sometimes grown for its ornamental fruits.

Attractive species of Lantana are often cultivated as greenhouse and bedding plants. Unfortunately, some species of Lantana have escaped from gardens in the tropics, and in many places these have become serious weeds of pastures because livestock can be poisoned by eating this plant. Some horticultural species in the verbena family have also become naturalized as weeds in North America.