Introduction

Veronicas grow from 2 to 18 inches tall, in full sun or light shade in any good garden soil. The plant is susceptible to drought and some types of veronica are serious lawn weeds.

General Information

Scientific name: Veronica spp.

Pronunciation: ver-RAWN-nick-kuh species

Common name(s): wooly speedwell, speedwell

Family: Scrophulariaceae

Plant type: annual; perennial; herbaceous

USDA hardiness zones: 4 through 9A (Figure 3)

Planting month for zone 7: Jun; Jul

Planting month for zone 8: May; Jun

Planting month for zone 9: Mar; Apr

Planting month for zone 10 and 11: not recommended

Origin: not native to North America

Invasive potential: not known to be invasive

Uses: cut flowers; border; mass planting; ground cover; edging

Availability: somewhat available, may have to go out of the region to find the plant

Description

Height: 1 to 2 feet

Spread: 0.5 to 1.5 feet

Plant habit: upright

Plant density: moderate

Growth rate: moderate

Texture: medium

Foliage

Leaf arrangement: opposite/subopposite

Leaf type: simple

Leaf margin: dentate; serrate

Leaf shape: obovate; oblong; ovate

Leaf venation: pinnate

Leaf type and persistence: semi-evergreen

Leaf blade length: 2 to 4 inches

Leaf color: green

Fall color: no fall color change

Fall characteristic: not applicable

Flower

Flower color: purple; blue; lavender

Flower characteristic: spring flowering; summer flowering; fall flowering

Fruit

Fruit shape: unknown

Fruit length: unknown

Fruit cover: unknown

Fruit color: unknown

Fruit characteristic: inconspicuous and not showy

Trunk and Branches

Trunk/bark/branches: typically, multi-trunked or clumping stems

Current year stem/twig color: green

Current year stem/twig thickness: medium

Culture

Light requirement: plant grows in part shade/part sun

Soil tolerances: acidic; loam; clay; sand

Drought tolerance: moderate

Soil salt tolerances: unknown

Plant spacing: 12 to 18 inches

Other

Roots: not applicable

Winter interest: no special winter interest

Outstanding plant: not particularly outstanding

Pest resistance: no serious pests are normally seen on the plant

Use and Management

Division may be done in autumn or spring. Seeds germinate in 15 to 20 days at 70°F. Softwood cuttings may be taken in spring. Seed can be planted outdoors within two months of frost.

Pests and Diseases

Downy mildew causes pale spots on the upper sides of leaves. Corresponding regions on the undersides of the leaves are covered with grayish mildew.

Leaf spot causes numerous small circular spots that vary in color from violet to brown. The spots are found on the upper leaf surface. On the undersides, the spots are yellowish brown. As the spots run together, the leaves look scorched, ragged, and shotholed. The last stage of the disease is defoliation. Destroy all fallen and spotted leaves. The disease is caused by Septoria veronicae.

Powdery mildew causes a white, powdery growth on the leaves.