Garden Speedwell, Long-Leaf Speedwell
Veronica longifolia

Family: Scrophulariaceae

What it is like

Bloom Color: Blue, Pink, Purple, White. Main Bloom Time: Early summer, Late summer, Mid summer. UPDATE: Veronica longifolia L. is a synonym of Pseudolysimachion longifolium (L.) Opiz. Form: Upright or erect.

Veronica longifolia is a PERENNIAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 0.3 m (1ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4. It is in flower from July to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 1

Where it is found

Steppes, grassy mountain slopes, meadows at forest edges and birch forests below 1500 metres in northwest China.

N. E. and C. Europe to S.W. Asia, Mongolia, Korea and N. China.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 1

Leaves and young shoots - raw or cooked. A famine food, they are only used when all else fails.

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating:

How it is grown

Landscape Uses:Border, Massing. Easily grown in a moderately fertile moisture retentive well drained soil. Prefers cool summers. A number of cultivars have been selected for their ornamental value. Special Features:Attractive foliage, Naturalizing, Suitable for cut flowers, Extended bloom season in Zones 9A and above.

Propagating it: Seed - sow autumn in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division in autumn or spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the summer or the following spring.

Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;

Habit: Perennial

Hardiness: 4-10

Growth: Medium

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Pseudolysimachion longifolium