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Veronica officinalis Linnaeus. Common name: Common Speedwell, Gypsyweed, Heath Speedwell. Phenology: May-Sep. Habitat: Fields and forests; often interpreted as being of mixed native and alien background in North America.

Origin/Endemic status: Eurasia

Synonymy : = C, FNA17, G, GrPl, Il, K4, Mi, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, S, Tat, Tn, Va, W, WV, Pennell (1935), Stace (2021), Walters & Webb (1972) in Tutin et al (1972); > Veronica officinalis L. var. officinalis — F; > Veronica officinalis L. var. tournefortii Rchb. & Rchb.f. — F

Links to other floras: = Veronica officinalis - FNA17

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU
  • Great Plains: UPL
  • Midwest: UPL
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACU

Heliophily : 7

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image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Radford, Ahles and Bell | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Creeping, mat-forming perennial of a wide range of disturbed and natural habitats, including lawns, roadsides, clearings and moist to somewhat dry upland forests.

Stems: Stems mostly prostrate, with ascending branches, rooting at nodes, hairy.

Leaves: Leaves mostly opposite, short-petiolate, oval or elliptic, 3/4-2 in. long, toothed and hairy.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers densely arranged in erect-ascending, glandular-hairy, axillary racemes; lilac-blue to lavender and sometimes with darker lines; 1/4 in. wide; bilaterally symmetric; consisting of 4 tiny petals, 3 of which are about equal in size and a 4th that is slightly smaller.

Fruits: Fruit a tiny, flattened capsule.

Comments: Believed to be of mixed native and alien background.

Height: 4-12 in.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Creeping, mat-forming perennial of a wide range of disturbed and natural habitats, including lawns, roadsides, clearings and moist to somewhat dry upland forests.

stems: Stems mostly prostrate, with ascending branches, rooting at nodes, hairy.

leaves: Leaves mostly opposite, short-petiolate, oval or elliptic, 3/4-2 in. long, toothed and hairy.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers densely arranged in erect-ascending, glandular-hairy, axillary racemes; lilac-blue to lavender and sometimes with darker lines; 1/4 in. wide; bilaterally symmetric; consisting of 4 tiny petals, 3 of which are about equal in size and a 4th that is slightly smaller.

fruits: Fruit a tiny, flattened capsule.

comments: Believed to be of mixed native and alien background.

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: Europe

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