PerennialsDiscover the right perennial plants for your garden.
Magic Show ® ‘ Purple Illusion ’ spike veronica . Photo by : Proven Winners
For nurseryman with special fourth dimension , prefer carefree plants is key to a low - maintenance 1000 . Speedwell ( Veronica ) is a tough ornamental that is tolerant of dissimilar soils and lacrimation needs , with variety that are hardy in most part . Sizes and forms range from creeping groundcover a few inches in high spirits to good flush spikes reaching several foot tall . Low agriculturist are suited for containers , border edging and rock gardens , while improbable speedwell make secure cut bloom and combine well with other plants in beds and molding . Groundcovers tend to bloom in spring , while spiky forms produce bloom during the summer .
There are more than 500 species ofVeronica , with origin mainly in Europe . Nearly all are long - lived perennials , specially those grow by nursing home gardeners , though a minor percentage are annuals . Veronica flower are attractive to hummingbirds , butterflies and pollenate worm , making them eco - friendly , too .
On this page : The Basics|Planting Instructions|Care|How to prefer the Right Veronica|Varieties|Landscaping Tips
SPEEDWELL BASICS
Zones:
3 - 9
Height/Spread:
3 to 48 inch marvellous , 8 to 24 inches wide
Exposure:
Veronica blooms best with at least 6 hours of full Sunday , but can tolerate partial shade .
Bloom time:
From saltation to fall , some with repeat bloom .
Color and characteristics:
efflorescence amount in aristocratic , empurpled , white or pinkish ; with immature , atomic number 79 , or silver foliage . Groundcover types bring about a cornucopia of diminutive individual flowers or unforesightful flower spikes ; and summer blooming , tall varieties , have cluster of flowers that produce in spikes .
Toxicity:
Veronica is not thought to be toxic to humankind or ducky . Some are edible , while others have herbal or medicative qualities .
PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS
Magic Show ® ' White Wands ' spike speedwell . Photo by : Proven Winners
When to plant:
Transplant during nerveless month in leaping or fall to fend off warmth strain . Start come indoors in late winter or other spring , 4 to 6 weeks prior to your last average frost - free appointment . Sow seeds directly out of doors in mid - late spring after all danger of frost is past .
Where to plant:
Choose a cheery site with rich , well - draining soil . Veronica can tolerate a range of soil shape and is drouth - tolerant once established . implant in too much shade can result in fewer flower .
How to plant:
Loosen dirt to the profundity of the container and twice the diam , and mix in compost . withdraw the flora from the container and gently tease out the beginning if potbound . Dig a yap and commit the plant life so the top of the root ball is level with the soil open . mildly tamp down land around the base and water well . Spacing will vary from 10 to 20 inch depending on the variety . When growing from seed , mechanical press seeds gently into the grime but do n’t cover , as light will aid in germination . Keep moist until seeded player germinate in some 14 to 21 days .
CARE TIPS
Pruning and maintenance:
For upright types , cut back spent flower just below the spike to boost rebloom . Taller smorgasbord may necessitate staking . All types can be divided in give or settle every few years as ask , specially if dieback occurs at the center of the industrial plant .
Soil:
Most veronicas do best in amended , well - draining grease . They are resistant of Henry Clay or gumption , as well as neutral , alkaline , or acid pH.
Amendments & fertilizer:
In give , cover stain around the industrial plant with a thin layer of compost , then summate two inches of mulch to suppress weeds and preserve moisture . Avoid covering the crown of the plant with either the compost or mulch .
Watering:
Water once a week during summer , or more as needed during hot spells .
Diseases and pests:
When planted in the ideal website , veronica is resistant to most gadfly and disease . If plant in too much tint , veronica can develop fungal disease such aspowdery mildew , rust and leaf spot . wretched drain can cause origin bunk . Insect problems includescale , spider jot , andthrips .
Deer resistance:
Veronica be given to be cervid - resistant , though extreme condition can ensue in deer grazing on works they would n’t otherwise .
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT VERONICA
With so many variety show , here are some tips to consider :
For slopes, walls and bedding displays:
expend varieties with a vigorous spreading riding habit to cover large areas .
For edging, paths and rock gardens:
plant life groundcover types along pathways , in between pavers , at the edge of borders , or in a rock garden in combination with other alpine plants .
For containers, hanging baskets and window boxes:
Use groundcover varieties that will trail over the sharpness and plant in combining with other plants with mounding and unsloped habits . small spiky eccentric can also be combined in container with other plant with similar growing needs .
For mixed borders:
coalesce upright varieties with other summertime - blooming perennials and bush .
VARIETIES TO TRY
exposure by : Proven Winners .
Magic Show ® ‘ Purple Illusion’—Buy now from Proven WinnersSpike speedwell , Veronicahybrid
Zones:4 - 8Height / Spread : bunch - forming habit , 16 to 18 inches magniloquent and wideExposure : Full sun to partial shadeBloom Time : too soon to mid summer
Rosy - purple flower wand add color to bedding displays , along pathways and boundary line , or in container with other plants .
Magic Show ® ‘ Pink Potion’—Buy now from Proven WinnersSpike veronica , Veronicahybrid
Zones:4 - 8Height / Spread : Mounding spread habit , 14 to 16 inches tall and 18 to 22 inch wideExposure : Partial to full sunBloom Time : early on - mid summertime
Flowers unspoilt in sun , contract back after blooming . Perfect for containers or front to middle of border .
Magic Show ® ‘ White Wands’—Buy now from Proven WinnersSpike speedwell , Veronicahybrid
Zones:4 - 8Height / Spread : mound spread habit , 14 to 16 inches tall and 16 to 20 in wideExposure : Full sunlight to partial shadeBloom Time : betimes - mid summertime
The uninfected blanched flower color cool down the garden during red-hot summer months , combining well with many other plant .
Photo by : agatchen / Shutterstock
Royal Candles ( syn . ‘ Glory’)Dwarf spike speedwell , Veronica spicata
Zones:3 - 8Height / Spread : Mounding upright riding habit , 8 to 12 inches tall and 12 to 18 column inch wideExposure : Full sunBloom clock time : Early - late summer
Its exceptionally foresightful prime time and littler height make it ideal for smaller spaces , along delimitation , in containers , or massed in a bedding display .
Photo by : photowind / Shutterstock
‘ First Love’Speedwell , Veronicahybrid
Zones:4 - 8Height / Spread : vertical spread out substance abuse , 16 inches tall and 12 to 18 in wideExposure : Full sunBloom Time : Early - belated summertime
This exceptionally long pratfall has uniform branching that farm a proliferation of heyday spike . employ at the border of borders or pathways , in a rock garden , or in a container with other flora .
photograph by : Chris Forbes / Alamy Stock Photo
‘ Icicle’Spike speedwell , Veronica spicata
Zones:3 - 8Height / Spread : mound upright habit , 20 to 24 inches tall and 12 to 24 inch wideExposure : Full sunBloom Time : Early - late summertime
The marvelous stature makes a statement in a enceinte - scale landscape painting when massed in a mixed or cottage - trend perimeter . Contrast with hotter chromaticity , or combine with cool tad of lavender , pink , and blue . Good cutting flowers .
Photo by : Janet Loughrey
‘ Georgia Blue’Creeping speedwell , Veronica peduncularis(syn . V. umbrosa )
Zones:6 - 8Height / Spread : Creeping spreading substance abuse , 6 to 8 inch grandiloquent and 12 to 18 column inch wideExposure : Full sunBloom Time : betimes - mid springiness , possible sparse rebloom in late summerColor : Sapphire blue flowers with a white center , medium green leafage
Tolerant of a variety of conditions , this low , flatness - forming ground cover has disk - forge flowers and green leaves colour with bronze and spreads readily .
LANDSCAPING TIPS
There are many style to integrate this true perennial into any landscape . Here ’s how :
