If you’re dreaming of a garden bursting with color, charm, and a little bit of whimsy, look no further than veronica flowers, better known as speedwell. These cheerful bloomers come in a rainbow of purples, pinks, blues, and whites, and they’re just as easygoing as they are eye-catching.
Whether you want a ground-hugging carpet of blossoms or tall, spiky stems for your cut flower arrangements, there’s a speedwell variety waiting to shine in your yard. Ready to get planting? Let’s dig in!
There are many types of speedwells, all belonging to the genus Veronica, which has hundreds of species. There are spring- and summer-blooming varieties, with some flowering until autumn frost.
With so many species of Veronica, there is one suitable for almost any growing zone in the U.S. As a genus, they are hardy from USDA Zones 3–11, although individual species have a narrower range. Check the tag or the seed packet to be sure a particular speedwell is hardy in your climate. Just because it is at the garden center doesn’t mean it will survive the winter.
So many cultivars of speedwell are available, and some common names have been used to refer to hybrids from several different species. Check the tag to be sure you are getting the one you want.
Is Speedwell an Upright or Ground Cover?
As a quick guide, upright, spiky veronicas for cut flowers or for use as taller bedding plants are often cultivars of V. longifolia, V. spicata, and V. austriaca. They may be called spiked speedwell, Hungarian speedwell, or longleaf speedwell.
Ground-cover veronicas are frequently cultivars of V. alpina, V. repens, V. prostrata, V. pectinata, and V. gentianoides. They go by common names like creeping speedwell, gentian speedwell, or creeping veronica.
Planting
When to Plant Veronicas
Transplants can be planted 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.) Plant them out after your last frost date has passed.
Plants purchased from a nursery or garden center greenhouse should be hardened off before planting.
Where to Plant Veronicas
Veronicas love full sun and, once established, are drought-tolerant; all varieties like well-draining soil. Upright speedwells will grow and bloom better in fertile soil with some compost worked in.
Many ground-cover types are happy with rocky, lower-fertility soils. They are an excellent choice for rock gardens and will fill in between pavers or cascade amid small rocks.
The ground-cover varieties are slower spreaders, so purchase accordingly or divide plants the next year to help them cover the area more quickly.
How to Plant Veronicas
Plant veronicas the same way as other perennials, taking into account their sunlight and soil needs.
- 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 after planting and weekly until well rooted.
- Apply mulch to keep weeds down and keep the soil cool and moist.
- If the plants are not yet branched, pinch to promote lateral growth and a bushier habit.
Types
- ‘Crater Lake Blue’ (V. austriaca) is a mat-forming perennial that grows 12 to 18 inches tall with beautiful, deep, gentian blue flowers in early summer. Hardy in USDA Zones 4–8. Great for mass plantings.
- ‘Sunny Border Blue’ (V. spicata) is a clump-forming perennial with erect spikes of tubular, dark violet-blue flowers that reach 18 to 24 inches. This hybrid blooms from early summer to frost and makes excellent cut flowers.
- ‘Red Fox’ (V. spicata) has deep pink flowers on a narrow spike similar to ‘Sunny Border Blue’ but is a bit shorter, at about 12 to 16 inches. Hardy to USDA Zones 3–8 for the northern gardener!
‘Dick’s Wine’ (V. prostrata) is a ground cover that grows to about 4–8 inches tall and produces an abundance of rose-wine–colored blooms—so many that they actually hide the dark-green foliage, and they are easily divided as they grow for quicker coverage. Once established, these are drought-tolerant and deer-resistant.
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To deadhead, cut the entire spent spire (flower) off down to a set of two healthy leaves.
If you are seeing new growth, then they are on their way! You will likely see some blooms.
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.
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