this is blue vervain.....

it grows in ditches and waterways

it grows from 3-6 feet high......

the herb is harvested........

don't pull it up by the roots........cut it off with a sharp knife and it'll come up every year.
cut it were the last leaf ends.......buyers don't like a lot of bare stalk....kinda looks ugly....like a badly rubbed yote.
wait til the morning dew is gone before you start harvesting it........you don't want all that moisture........the less the better


you need to dry this in a shaded area out of the sun........it needs to retain the color..drying in direct sunlight will turn it brown and ruin it.

I simply lay mine on racks I built to keep the air circulating around it........once dry, I tie it into bundles and store away from moisture.

don't confuse it with white vervain........the leaves look similliar




Blue vervain is used internally to treat depression, fevers, coughs, cramps, jaundice, and headaches. Externally, it is used for acne, ulcers, and cuts.