Spiked speedwell

Sun

Full sun gives the strongest stems and best flowering; tolerates light shade but may flower less.

Water

Water regularly during establishment. Once established, water during prolonged dry spells; avoid persistently wet ground.

Soil

Well-drained sandy, loamy or chalky soil of average fertility; tolerates mildly acidic to alkaline conditions. Improve drainage before planting in heavy clay.

Height

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m), including flower spikes; compact cultivars are shorter.

Spread

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m)

Flowers

Early to midsummer, sometimes repeating into late summer after deadheading. The species has violet-blue flowers; cultivars also come in pink, purple and white.

Foliage

Green, narrow to lance-shaped leaves with toothed edges, mostly paired along the stems; forms a low leafy clump.

Growth

Moderate; forms a substantial clump within two or three growing seasons.

Care needed

Low

• Water new plants whenever the root zone begins to dry during their first growing season.
• Water established clumps deeply during prolonged drought rather than giving frequent light sprinklings.
• Apply a thin layer of compost in spring; avoid heavy feeding, which encourages floppy growth.
• Keep mulch away from the crown and avoid thick, moisture-holding mulch on winter-wet soil.
• Divide crowded clumps every three or four years in spring to maintain vigour.

Pruning. Cut faded flower spikes back to a leafy side shoot to encourage another flush. Remove dead stems near ground level in late autumn or leave them standing until early spring.

Early spring

Cut down any remaining dead stems before new growth develops.

Spring

Plant or divide clumps in well-drained soil and water them in thoroughly.

Mid-spring

Apply a thin compost top-dressing if the soil is poor, keeping the crown uncovered.

Early summer

Check soil moisture during dry weather, especially around newly planted clumps.

Midsummer

Deadhead spent spikes to encourage further flowering.

Autumn

Remove diseased foliage and check that fallen leaves are not trapping moisture around the crown.

• Repeat small groups along the front or middle of a sunny border for a rhythm of upright flower spikes.
• Pair with rounded flowers such as coneflowers and yarrow for contrasting flower shapes.
• Plant among fine-textured ornamental grasses in a naturalistic perennial scheme.
• Use compact cultivars at sunny path edges or in containers with free-draining compost.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, English country, New perennial (prairie), Pollinator garden, Dry gravel garden and Blues and silvers.

Plant it with: Catmint, Yarrow, Purple coneflower, Hardy geranium, Lamb's ear and Prairie dropseed.

Wildlife: Flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees and attract butterflies. Leave some seedheads standing if you want to retain seed and winter structure.

• Crown and root rot in wet soil: improve drainage, keep the crown at soil level and avoid overwatering.
• Powdery mildew: allow space for air circulation, water the soil rather than the leaves and remove badly affected foliage.
• Slugs and snails on young shoots: inspect emerging growth and use hand-picking or a locally approved iron-phosphate bait as directed.
• Floppy stems or sparse flowering: move plants into more sun and reduce nitrogen feeding; support taller cultivars if needed.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. No part is generally recognised as poisonous, but it is not a food plant; eating plant material may still cause mild digestive upset.

• Long-leaved speedwell (Veronica longifolia)

  Usually taller, with longer, more sharply toothed leaves and often branched clusters of flower spikes; spiked speedwell is generally shorter and more compact.

• Woodland sage (Salvia nemorosa)

  Has square stems, aromatic foliage and clearly two-lipped flowers arranged in whorls; speedwell has small, four-lobed flowers with conspicuous projecting stamens.

• Culver's root (Veronicastrum virginicum)

  Much taller, commonly 4-6 ft (1.2-1.8 m), with leaves in whorls around the stem and branching, slender flower spikes.

The Latin epithet spicata means 'spiked', referring to the upright flower spikes that also give spiked speedwell its common name.

Propagation. Divide established clumps in spring. Grow the species from seed, although seedlings may vary; use division or basal cuttings in spring to preserve a named cultivar's characteristics.

Accepted botanical name

Veronica spicata

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Canada and the lower 48 states.

Native range

Albania, Altay, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Bulgaria, Central European Rus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, East European Russia, Finland and France.

Measured

Average height 23 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.