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.
Reader Comments
Leave a Comment
Veronica Speedwell
I'm in a zone 7b, when should i expect my veronica to emerge from it's winter dormancy?
Growing Veronica
It depends on the weather this year, but we usually see it emerge in early April in northern Texas (which is 7b). Be careful not to overwater Veronica or water from the top to avoid fungus. Use a soaker hose. It likes full Sun and well-draining soil.
Veronica
How do I divide my Veronica?
Veronica
Bought what was told a veronica but it didn't have flower spires. Does have purple flowers but they form off a 7-8" side sprout. Mine is about a 5 ' plant. Spent blooms turn into fuzzy little blooms!
My sad Veronica
Please help.... my husband bought this one for me and it was so purple and healthy 2weeks ago! I transplanted it to a little bigger pot it was good for a week, now the tops are fading, the leaves keep wilting like it's dry, but I check it twice a day. I have quite a few plants on my patio, I am totally learning as I go! So I'm wanting to make it pretty again... should I trim it? As I have read some people do. How... topping it? Trimming the deads...? Thank you!
sad veronica
Hi, Michelle, be patient. For about ten months (ok, maybe fewer). Your plant was happy and thriving. Then you interrupted that horticultural bliss by ripping it up by the roots. Its top growth felt that pain. The whole plant was stunned, and now it has to reset its roots, make a new start, and settle in. Considering that we’re going into fall, it would have gone dormant in a while so you may not see much recovery or new growth until next season.
Dried up Veronicas
I purchased some small Veronica Plants and didn’t plant them right away. I forgot to water them. The flowers and the leaves are dried. I planted them anyway because they seem like they still had a pulse. Should I trim them down and hope they’ll bloom for the Summer?
I’m in North Texas
finding a pulse...
Trimming might do more harm than good. Being perennials, they might come back. Keep them evenly watered (not soaked) and give them some protection from direct hot sun until you see signs of new life.
Veronica
We had a very wet and cold spring..My Veronica came up and had scantly stems and blossoms, nothing like what it usually looks like..then it all turned brown and got o.i cut it all down to about 5 inches and it's been 2 weeks and finally this morning I see new growth all over the stems I am so happy I love this plant and watch the bees and other insects visit it often. I'm thinking of dividing it what do you think.or I should wait?
sunny border blue speedwell
I have some very small plants, will they bloom the first year?
blue speedwell
Often many perennials won’t bloom the first year planting as they are established to their new home. If not, by the second year, this variety should have showy blooms and show a significant increase in plant size or something is problematic (plant, weather).
Red Fox Speedwell
I picked up 3 plants 8/8/18. I would like to plant them around a tree that has a brick border. Is too late to plant them and will they thrive in a location like that? It does get full sun, it is Alaska, which says zone 3 and up to 11.
Thank you,
Barb
speedwell planting
Hi Barb,
Depending on where one lives in Alaska, one might be in Zone 1 to 8. If you are in Zone 3, however, this is the coldest limit of this cultivar, and your plants should do fine. (You might want to offer a little winter protection, such as a thick layer of mulch, especially that first winter to protect the roots as they establish themselves.) Choose a site that has full sun, as you have, and make sure that they have well-drained, loamy soil. The plants have shallow roots and do best in even moisture. Now into early fall is a good time to plant.
Overwatering?
I recently purchased a beautiful Speedwell from a garden center. I planted it and all was well for the first few days but then it began to droop so I started watering more frequently thinking that it was not getting enough water. Unfortunately, I'm afraid it might actually be the opposite problem and that I am in fact drowning the poor thing! If I leave it alone for several days without watering do you think it will recover? Thanks!
Veronica Speedwell
I have 2 very healthy plants with tons of blooms in dappled shade garden. I put a layer of garden soil every 2 years, water and voila! So pretty with the Shasta Daisies all in bloom and some pink dianthus in front. I divide them every 3 years...
blue speedwell
my speedwells are about 18 inches and there is no spikes no fllowers
Veronica
I have what I think is a Veronica plant that I've had for 10+years and there is less of it than there was years ago. I would like to get more but I can't find any that are the same as what I have. Mine grows to over 5 feet and has to be tied up to keep it upright. Most varieties I see are not nearly so tall. Is it Veronica?
Speedwell
Because of the size, it sounds as if you likely have a Butterfly bush (Buddleja/Buddleia) which has similar spier shaped clustered flowers- however is more of a bush that grows to approx 16ft.
Gary Hill's Veronica....
It sounds like you have the plant called Veronicastrum (probably Veronicastrum virginicum). It's available from garden nurseries specialising in herbaceos plants - such as Beth Chatto's. I have been growing this plant for many years. It's loved by bees, and in early summer is covered with worker bumble bees. It can be propagated by cuttings in late spring/early summer. Feeding this plant with some fresh soil enriched with mushroom compost works wonders...most flowering plants love the lime compost.
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 Speedwell deadheading
my plants continue to put out new blooms and the bees are crazy about it. i have yet to see a spent spire.
Veronica
Got plant on sale is it too late to plant in late June in Denver,CO? thanks
Pages