Planting, Growing, and Caring for Veronicas
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!
About Veronicas
There are many types of speedwells, ranging from groundcovers only a few inches tall to upright plants with tall, spikey blooms. They all belong 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 US. As a genus, they are hardy from USDA zones 3-11, although individual species have a more narrow 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 Groundcover?
As a quick guide, upright, spiky veronicas for cut flowers or 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 long-leaved speedwell.
Groundcover 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.
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Planting
Veronicas love full sun and, once established, are drought-tolerant—all varieties like well-drained soil. Upright speedwells will grow and bloom better in fertile soil with some compost worked in.
Many groundcover types are happy with rocky, lower-fertility soils. They are an excellent choice for rock gardens and will fill in between pavers or cascade of 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.
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.
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 18-24 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 12-16 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. Easily divided as they grow for quicker coverage. Drought tolerant once established and deer resistant.
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Comments
Yes, speedwell (Veronica) will rebloom if cut back to the base of the primary spike.
Yes, Veronica (or, Speedwell) can really spread quickly and become rather invasive. We suggest that you first try non-chemical means such as digging out. You can also suppress with mulch and mulch bare soil before growth begins next season to smother them and pull out any shoots that make it through the mulch. You can also rake out the weeds. If you must use chemical means, you need to spot treat using a weedkiller and avoid your lilies. Leave the weed for a few weeks for the weedkiller to take effect, before removing dead foliage. FYI: There are some varieties of Speedwell that are less invasive.
This could be a soil problem. Make sure that your bed is well-drained and supplied with some organic fertilizer, followed by mulch. Veronica needs moderate watering, too -- in the soil, not from above -- and won't do well (if anything) if located in a place where it will bake.
We usually cut back speedwell in the fall. It's fine to cut back now. Just look for the buds and snip back to one or two buds.
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Hi Roslyn,
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.