That plant is definitely etiolated -- light starved. "Direct sun" should be taken with a grain of salt. First, just in case you did not know, "direct sun" refers to sunlight shining directly on the plant as it would early in the morning streaming through an unobstructed east facing window. A very bright window in which the sunlight does not actually do so would not count. That would be considered "indirect lighting". Next, even in the case of direct sun there comes a whole range of intensities. Unfortunately, plant tags never make any such distinctions. Direct sun outside is more intense than direct sun indoors. Direct sun early in the morning or later in the evening is a completely different story from direct sun during the afternoon. (Afternoon sun is much stronger.) This is true both indoors and outside. Many indoor plants (dare I say "most"?) will do quite well with a little direct sun early in the morning or late in the evening. The stronger direct sun they might experience from around 10am to 4 or 5pm is where things often get too intense for shade lovers. In addition, one needs to consider one's latitude. The direct sun experienced by those close to the equator is very different from that of those in the far north of the northern hemisphere or far south of the southern hemisphere. To complicate matters even further, is the direct sun being discussed obstructed or unobstucted light. For example, if you have a west window with a large tree in front of said window then the direct sun that makes it through might only amount to "dappled shade" as the tree's leaves block much of the sunlight. In contrast, that same situation with no trees, buildings, window blinds, etc would experience far different (much more intense) lighting. Is your head spinning yet? So the upshot is you must look to your plant to tell you what it needs. In this case, your plant showing distinct signs of being etiolated -- weak skinny growth with a great deal of space between leaf nodes. This is the result of insufficient lighting. Your plant is stretching in an attempt to reach a place of greater light. The segments of stem between each layer of leaves should be MUCH closer. This is, then, tells you that the plant wants more light than it is currently receiving ... no matter what its tag says. So DO move it to a bit brighter location if you can. If it continues 'stretching' then move it to an even brighter location. Repeat bit by bit until the plant is growing in a more compact manner. I hope that helped.

I agree with Nhbabs. The Verbena boniarensis will occasionally overwinter for me, but reseeds with abandon. A friend who lives close by me has the Verbena planted against her house and beside her cement drive and it returns reliably in that warm, protected spot. It is a great favorite of many nectaring insects and hummingbirds. Martha

Take cell/tablet photos in landscape mode with bottom of your phone to your right and you will never have orientation issues.

Thank you all for the help identifying this. I'm thinking I'm going to try to get rid of it - would garden experts agree that this is one I shouldn't feel bad about getting rid of? FataMorgana- when you said the early leaves don't always look like mature leaves.... Any chance that my giant collection of "little spreaders" that is popping up with on pairs of opposed leaves is just a pre-woody-vine version of this? Thank you all again for the help- one down five hundred to go! :-)