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
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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Horticultural Information
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