Plant Profile: Veronica spicata

Taxonomy: Veronica spicata

Names

Speedwell, Spiked Speedwell

  • Photo of Veronica spicata (Veronica spicatas)

Phonetic Spelling:veh-RON-ih-ka spi-KAH-tuh

Genus:Veronica

Species:spicata

Family:Plantaginaceae

Speedwell is a hardy perennial herb that thrives with minimal effort. It flourishes in moist, well-drained soil and requires full sunlight. This plant typically flowers from late spring through mid-summer. To encourage a second round of blooms in the fall, trim it back to the basal rosette after the initial flowering period. Speedwell is an excellent choice for cut flower arrangements, rock gardens, borders, and perennial beds.

Potential issues include root rot, which can develop in excessively wet soil, particularly during the winter months.

Quick Identification

Veronica spicata Feature Summary

Veronica spicata Image Gallery

Tags

#wildlife plant
#nectar plant
#blue flowers
#cut flowers
#low maintenance
#rabbit resistant
#upright form
#flower arrangements
#deer resistant
#foundation planting
#rock gardens
#borders
#pollinator plant
#clumping
#fantz
#butterfly friendly
#HS302
#bee friendly

Similar Plants

Veronica spicata is often confused with:

Veronica spicata Feature Summary

Attributes
Flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies.
Perennial
Flowers
Terminal racemes appear in summer on 24 - 30 inch stems with many tiny blue star-shaped flowers. Spikes narrow at the tips.
Good Cut
Showy
Long-lasting
4-5 petals/rays
< 1 inch
Leaves
Up to 2-inch long leaves are opposite, simple, linear-lanceolate to oblong to ovate, acute, cuneate, crenate to subentire apically and basally, pubescent.
Ovate
Linear
Oblong
Lanceolate
Crenate
Dentate
1-3 inches
< 1 inch
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Good Drainage
Moist
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
3a
3b
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Landscape
Rock Garden
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Cottage Garden
Border
Foundation Planting
Walkways
Small Space
Pond
Butterflies
Bees

Veronica spicata Attributes

Veronica spicata: Country Or Region Of Origin

Europe and Asia

Veronica spicata: Wildlife Value

Flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies.

Veronica spicata: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Veronica spicata Flowers

Veronica spicata: Flower Description

Terminal racemes appear in summer on 24 - 30 inch stems with many tiny blue star-shaped flowers. Spikes narrow at the tips.

Veronica spicata: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Blue

Veronica spicata: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Veronica spicata: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Veronica spicata: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Veronica spicata: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Veronica spicata: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Veronica spicata: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Veronica spicata Leaves

Veronica spicata: Leaf Description

Up to 2-inch long leaves are opposite, simple, linear-lanceolate to oblong to ovate, acute, cuneate, crenate to subentire apically and basally, pubescent.

Veronica spicata: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Veronica spicata: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Veronica spicata: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Veronica spicata: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Veronica spicata: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Veronica spicata: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Veronica spicata: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Veronica spicata: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Veronica spicata: Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Veronica spicata Whole Plant Traits

Veronica spicata: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Veronica spicata: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Veronica spicata: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Veronica spicata: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Veronica spicata: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Veronica spicata: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Veronica spicata Cultural Conditions

Veronica spicata: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Veronica spicata: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Veronica spicata: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Veronica spicata: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Veronica spicata: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
3a
thermostat
3b
thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b

Veronica spicata: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Veronica spicata Stem

Veronica spicata: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Veronica spicata Landscape

Veronica spicata: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Veronica spicata: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Veronica spicata: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Veronica spicata: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Veronica spicata: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees