Japanese name: クマツヅラ（熊葛） Scientific name:Verbena officinalis
[Overview]
A perennial 30–80 cm tall, found on roadsides in hills and fields.
The stems and leaves have fine hairs.
The stem is square in cross section.
Leaves are opposite, 3–10 cm long and 2–5 cm wide, deeply pinnately divided.
Spikes up to 30 cm long are produced at the tips of stems and branches and bear densely packed flowers.
The corolla is tubular, 4 mm across, with 5 lobes at the tip, and pale reddish purple.
The fruit is a schizocarp.
[Uses]
The whole plant is used medicinally.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed, by division, or by stem-tip cuttings.
It also multiplies readily from self-sown seed.
It prefers a sunny, well-drained site.
If the conditions suit it, it grows well even when left alone.
It does better slightly on the dry side; for potted plants, water thoroughly after the soil has dried, and for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient unless summer brings a long sunny spell and severe dryness.
Apply plenty of base fertilizer, and also apply slow-release fertilizer in spring and autumn.
There are no particular pests or diseases.
