Bloomipedia
Brazilian vervain (Verbena brasiliensis)
Photo: Lauren McLaurin via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Brazilian vervain

Verbena brasiliensis

Introduced in the lower 48

Brazilian vervain is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–October.

17states
2of our state lists
8,350U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Louisiana, Mississippi

Quick look

Verbena brasiliensis, the Brazilian verbena or Brazilian vervain, is a flowering plant species from the vervain family (Verbenaceae). It is native to parts of South America, namely Brazil, but has spread its range in recent times and has occasionally become an invasive weed.

  • It belongs to the Verbenaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a subshrub with a annual life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 17 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as not native to Louisiana and Mississippi. NatureServe
  • In Louisiana, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–October. iNaturalist
  • In Mississippi, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–September. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 941 research-grade sightings of it in Louisiana, ranking #29 among the 109 flowers on our Louisiana list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 375 research-grade sightings of it in Mississippi, ranking #66 among the 110 flowers on our Mississippi list. iNaturalist

Brazilian vervain gift ideas

Handmade brazilian vervain gifts from independent makers.

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (820 records)
Bloom time in each of our 2 states
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
LouisianaIntroducedApril–October941
MississippiIntroducedApril–September375

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. NatureServe
Louisiana
No list Louisiana has no state list of endangered or threatened plants separate from the federal list, so we show federal status and NatureServe's Louisiana ranks. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Louisiana.
Mississippi
No list Mississippi has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Mississippi ranks instead. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Mississippi.
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 edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 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 brazilian vervain in 17 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia.

Louisiana counties with USDA records: Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Cameron, Catahoula, Claiborne, Concordia, De Soto, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Iberia, Iberville, Jackson, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, LaSalle, Lafayette, Lafourche, Lincoln, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Tensas, Terrebonne, Union, Vermilion, Vernon, Washington, Webster, West Baton Rouge, West Carroll, West Feliciana, Winn.

Mississippi counties with USDA records: Adams, Amite, Attala, Calhoun, Choctaw, Claiborne, Clarke, Clay, Copiah, Covington, DeSoto, Franklin, Greene, Harrison, Hinds, Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Kemper, Lafayette, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Leake, Lincoln, Lowndes, Madison, Marion, Montgomery, Neshoba, Newton, Oktibbeha, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Pontotoc, Quitman, Rankin, Scott, Sharkey, Simpson, Smith, Stone, Tate, Tishomingo, Union, Walthall, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Wilkinson, Yazoo.

More Louisiana flowers

Sources