Growing Veronica (Speedwell)

How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Veronica Plants

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Veronica, also called Speedwell, is a carefree and easy-to-grow perennial with long spikes of small petals in purple, blue, pink, or white. Here’s how to grow veronica in your garden!

This attractive plant grows in clusters from 1 to 3 feet tall, and blooms from spring to autumn.

There is also a bushy ground cover variety (Veronica prostrata), which features dense clusters of flowers and grows to only about 10 inches tall.

Planting

Grow in moderately fertile, well-drained soil in full sun.
Plant in the spring. (Veronica can be sowed by seed in containers in a cold frame in autumn, but most people start this perennial as a transplant from the nursery.)
Loosen the soil and mix in compost. Dig a hole twice the diameter of the plant’s container.
When placing the plant in the hole, ensure the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface.
Water thoroughly.

Care

Water in the summer if rainfall is less than 1 inch per week.
Stake tall varieties.
Keep covered with a thin layer of compost, followed by a 2-inch layer of mulch to retain moisture.
Deadhead to extend bloom time.
After the first killing frost, cut back stems to an inch or two above the soil line.
Divide perennials in autumn or spring every few years.

Pests/Diseases

Scale insects
Downy mildew
Powdery mildew
Rust
Leaf smut
Root rot

Recommended Varieties

‘Crater Lake Blue’ is a mat-forming perennial that grows 12 to 18 inches tall with beautiful, deep gentian blue flowers in early summer.
‘Sunny Border Blue’ is a clump-forming perennial that grows to 20 inches tall and bears erect spikes of tubular, dark violet-blue flowers from early summer to late autumn.
‘Red Fox’ has very deep pink flowers on a narrow spike and grows as a mat-forming perennial to 12 inches tall, blooming from early to late summer.
‘Dick’s Wine’ is a ground cover that grows to about 10 inches tall and produces an abundance of rose-wine–colored blooms—so many that they actually hide the dark-green foliage.

Planting Times

Reader Comments

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Speedwell - Can you start off of a current cutting?

Sorry, I don't have much of a green thumb as my grandmother did. She could start a plant off of about anything! We received a beautiful vase arrangement that contained beautiful speedwell. One of the blooms even has another shoot starting to grow off of it. What is the best way to start a new plant? Are the blooms the seeds? Can you grow root from these cuttings in the vase? Your help is greatly appreciated! I love this flower and would love to start in my own yard. Thank you!

starting cuttings of speedwell

You might be able to start a cutting. Here is some guidance: http://pss.uvm.edu/ppp/pubs/oh5cuts.html

If it fails, remember you can purchase an existing plant and enjoy it immediately—then divide it over and over again through the years.

Veronicas overgrown

Wechave experienced a very wet spring and summer in Southern Ontario. I have had my veronica plants for over 10 years in E facing garden. They are always beautiful and I get 2 to 3 blooming periods a year due to deadheading. This year they are taller and have fallen in a circle. The bottom leaves have turned brown and crispy. I cut them all down to the ground level (july 20) in hopes they will grow again. Did I do the wrong thing.

heavy rains

Overwatering and heavy rains can cause speedwell to fail. Your cutting it down is not a bad thing; that’s recommended at the end of season, so you’re just ahead of schedule. As a perennial, it should come back next year. To help it through heavy rains in the future, you might want to work the soil a bit to ensure tha it is well draining. Ten years is a lot of time and the plants and soil may be packed it. (This will not necessarily eliminate problem in a similarly wet year but it could minimize the effect on the plants.)

Black spot on Veronica?

Hello, my speedwells looked so healthy and flowered beautifully their first round of flowers. When I deadheaded them to encourage a new set of flowers I noticed they appeared to have some black spot on their leaves, like I've seen roses get. Can speedwell get black spot too and how can I prevent it from getting worse? Thanks!

black spots

It could be overwatering. Make sure that the soil drains well and let the plants dry out between waterings. Watering at night could also cause some of the browning of the leaves if they get wet and stay moist all night. It’s recommended to water Veronicas early in the day to give the foliage a chance to dry before nighttime. If you’ve experienced frequent rain, amend the soil to improve drainage—as well as you can without disturbing the plant.

Veronica

These flowers also attract bumblebees, which made them unpopular with my young son. But I plan to add them to my garden at our new place. I didn't have any trouble growing them.

Royal candles

How do you dead head speedwell plant

Deadheading Speedwell

To deadhead, cut the entire spent spire (flower) off down to a set of two healthy leaves.

Veronica

Got plant on sale is it too late to plant in late June in Denver,CO? thanks

Veronica/Speedwell

I just bought Veronica flowers the first of July. Can I get away with planting it now? I'm in Nashville, TN.

Veronica

I have 5 Veronica plants a few years old. The groundhog ate them down kind of low when they were starting to grow. Will they still grow and bloom or did he ruin them for the season. The greens are starting to grow again currently.

Veronica

If you are seeing new growth, then they are on their way! You will likely see some blooms.

veronica high plant-4foot plus

1 saved seed spikes last fall, would like to start new plants from seed this spring. any advice would be appreciated/ we live in Manitoba,Canada.
thanx

The seeds are very tiny and

The seeds are very tiny and sometimes hard to see. Start some seeds indoors in containers or a flat. Moisten the potting soil first and then press the seeds into the soil but do not cover with soil. Cover the containers with plastic and put in a sunny spot. When seedlings emerge remove the plastic and water if the soil is dry. When the soil outside is warm and you have no more cold nights sow some seeds directly in the garden. Transplant the indoor seedlings after frost danger has passed. Space them about 10 inches apart.

veronica

do u have any veronica to spare , I have some seeds to spare ,what are u looking for :)

Our Veronica [Speedwell]

Our Veronica [Speedwell] looks like it burned up! All of the spring and summer rains were keeping it looking wonderful. Then we suddenly had 90+ degree days. Is there a chance she is still alive?

Hi, Nadine, Veronica is a

Hi, Nadine,
Veronica is a perennial, so it normally dies back in the fall. The temp shift may have hastened the process—or it was coincidental to the plant's normal decline. It's probably fine—er, still alive, just resting until next spring.

I have brown specks all over

I have brown specks all over my red fox perennial it is still in its original pot until I find out hat is killing my plants leaves. however still getting the red spike flowers.

Dahlias. I bought a potted

Dahlias. I bought a potted beautiful white dahlia. Is it ok to leave this in the pot. I live in the Midwest.
Thanks

Dahlias can be grown in

Dahlias can be grown in containers. The dwarf or low-growing types are best for this use. Make sure your container is large enough--at least a cubic foot per tuber, or even larger for larger varieties. Place in full sun (8 to 10 hours). Keep soil slightly damp.

For more information about dahlias, visit:

http://www.almanac.com/plant/d...

Help! I have a question that

Help! I have a question that you've already answered 5 times but I don't like to read. What do I do? ??

:-) We appreciate the smile.

:-) We appreciate the smile. :-)

Mine is quite large can I

Mine is quite large can I move this plant . (Speedwell ) and if so when can I move it

To control size, perennials

To control size, perennials are usually divided into two or three plants. Divide in spring or late summer/early fall. According to the USDA, "In spring, divide plants just as new growth emerges. Most perennials divided in late summer/early fall (mid-August through September) should be mulched in November. A 4- to 6-inch layer of straw placed over the plants should reduce the possibility of winter injury. Remove the mulch in early April."

We bought a Veronica plant

We bought a Veronica plant from the garden centre a month ago with flowers soon ready to bloom. All the other plants for sale were in full bloom with vibrant purple flowers. When ours started to bloom they were purple but they quickly lost their colour (to white) and the tips are looking brown. The leaves are beginning to be a little limp too. We are on a balcony with only a little light in the mornings. Am I watering it too much? Why are the flowers white and looking 'dead'? PS, we're novices to plants but trying so hard. Thank you for any help!

Veronica will grow best in

Veronica will grow best in full sun. If you only have a little sun in the mornings that could be the problem. Make sure that the soil drains well and let the plant dry out between waterings.

Help... I planted my Veronica

Help... I planted my Veronica on spring .... It's was doing well until couple of days a go I saw half of the plant look like burn but half of the plant were ok. Btw, i planted my speedwell on east of our house where they can get sun from morning till around 2-3pm. And today I saw the whole plant are dying, ... I water it pretty much everyday... Do you think I still have a chance to save the plant ???

You may be over watering. I

You may be over watering. I have a ton of them on the side of my house, they get sun all day until about 4pm. They are typically fine unless it does not rain for one week.

I planted one about early

I planted one about early May. Was full of flowers but now are all gone. The plant is still alive...what happened?