How do you propagate Speedwells?
Propagating Spiked Speedwell This plant can be propagated through dividing, cuttings, or seeding. Lift and divide the plants every three or four years in the early spring or early fall. This will keep the plants vigorous, and the outer portions can be replanted.
How do you prune Speedwell?
Dig up and divide speedwell every 3 to 4 years to encourage vigorous growth. To keep the plants looking tidy and reduce the spread of disease, cut the stalks to 2 inches above the ground after the first frost.
Is Speedwell a plant?
Speedwell is a clump-forming plant with flowers that grow on stalks of medium height. Like other species in the Veronica genus, it belongs to the plantain family. It is grown for its showy spikes of long-lasting flowers that begin blooming in late spring or early summer.
Can you grow Speedwell from seed?
As previously mentioned, the speedwell plant is tolerant of a variety of conditions but prefers full sun and well drained soil. Speedwell can be sown from seed, however, it is more commonly purchased from a nursery so planting speedwell in the garden can take place right away in spring.
When should I divide my speedwell?
To keep them looking their best, Speedwell plants should be divided every three or four years in the early spring or early fall. The more vigorous, outer portions can be re-planted. Softwood cuttings can be taken in late spring or summer.
Can veronica be split?
Herbaceous perennial veronicas in borders can be propagated by division whilst dormant, in autumn or early spring. Moisture-loving veronicas are best divided during summer.
When can I transplant speedwell?
springSoil & Transplanting Plant speedwell during spring to give it plenty of time to acclimate to its new home. Transplant or repot only when moving it to a different spot or for propagation.
Does speedwell plant spread?
Speedwell most commonly grows as an upright, spreading plant with small clusters of petals formed on tall spikes. These plants grow 1 to 3 feet tall and come in purple, blue, pink or white.
How do you split speedwell?
Dayliliy roots are a little tougher to pull apart but can be cut with a sharp knife. Bee balm and spike speedwell are also easy to divide with a knife. But wait! Not all perennials like to be divided.
Do you cut back speedwell?
Pruning. During the bloom season, deadhead individual faded flower spikes to generate more branching and blooming. You can shear off the plant down to the foliage if it begins to look straggly. After the first killing frost, cut back all foliage to within a few inches of the ground.
What is the difference between speedwell and veronica?
Veronica, also called Speedwell, is a carefree and easy-to-grow perennial with long spikes of small petals in purple, blue, pink, or white. Here's how to grow veronica in your garden! This attractive plant grows in clusters from 1 to 3 feet tall, and blooms from spring to autumn.
Does speedwell need full sun?
Veronica speedwell thrives in conditions as wide ranging as full sun to partial shade and in loamy, sandy, or clay-dense soils. However, it does prefer a sunny location with well-draining soil.
Do hummingbirds like speedwell?
Veronica | Speedwell Veronica (Speedwell) comes in a wide variety of heights for you to choose from—but they are all easy and undemanding to grow. These perennials prefer full sun and average, well–drained soil. Veronica plants are deer resistant, drought tolerant and attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
Should you cut back Veronica?
Speedwell (Veronica spicata) As blooms fade in fall, this perennial can be cut back to the ground. If left until spring, the black foliage will uglify your gardens.
Is speedwell toxic to dogs?
The scientific name for ornamental Speedwell is Veronica spicata. The Veronica genus of plants includes over 500 varieties, with the majority of those being edible or at the very least non-toxic to humans. According to the ASPCA, this plant is also considered to be non-toxic for cats, dogs and livestock.
Do butterflies like speedwell?
Veronica | Speedwell Veronica (Speedwell) comes in a wide variety of heights for you to choose from—but they are all easy and undemanding to grow. These perennials prefer full sun and average, well–drained soil. Veronica plants are deer resistant, drought tolerant and attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
How do you transplant plants without killing them?
How To Move Your Garden Without Killing Your PlantsIf you are able, choose the season you move.Mark where everything is going to go first.Pot, bucket or burlap: get the transportation ready.Use a special watering schedule for soon-to-be in-transit plants.Trim excess stems.Dig up using the drip line.More items...•
What temperature can you transplant plants?
Don't rush it! Heat-loving plants shouldn't be outside until nighttime temperatures remain consistently above 60°F (15°C). Keep an eye on local weather forecasts as you prepare for transplanting. If a serious cold snap is imminent, hold off on transplanting until temperatures are more agreeable.
When should I move my plants?
Early spring or autumn is the perfect time of year to move things around in your garden. Decided you don't like the placement of certain plants? Then shift them. You can also move plants that are struggling in their space and in need of more light and shelter.
Can you move bulbs when they are flowering?
Sure, you could wait to transplant misplaced perennials and bulbs until fall, when plants are done blooming, or early spring, when they're just getting growing. But why wait? You can move many perennials—anything with fibrous roots—and just about any bulb while they're in bud or even in bloom.
Short History Of Speedwell
Speedwell is a tough plant that can grow almost anywhere in the world. Its long history takes it back to ancient Christianity where its Latin name or genus Veronica came from. St. Veronica was the woman who wiped Jesus’ face with her veil as He was carrying the cross to Calvary. It was said that His face was miraculously embedded into her veil.
Where This Plant Is Found
Speedwells grow abundantly all over the world in different varieties and species. The native varieties originate in North America and others thrive in Europe, Asia, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East.
How To Identify Speedwell
With hundreds of varieties, speedwell becomes a bit difficult to distinguish. But generally, the common speedwell grows close to the ground but is a bit prostrate. Their leaves are simple and their flowers are small. Underneath these flowers grow the seed pods shaped like a heart.
Common Varieties Of Speedwell
Common Speedwell (Veronica officinalis) is native to Europe and Asia. It grows in mats with short vertical shoots and softly-haired stems and leaves. It is a medicinal herb that is used as a tea substitute.
How To Grow Speedwell
Speedwells are quite tough and drought-resistant. They thrive better in an environment where they can get full to partial shade with some species tolerant in wetlands. All speedwell varieties are easy to grow and require less maintenance. You will only need occasional trimming if they grow in unwanted places within the garden.
How To Harvest Speedwell
Speedwell, as an herb, has valuable medicinal properties. Thus, aside from horticulture, they are also cultivated for treating illnesses like respiratory problems and gout. You can also harvest its flower to use as tea or add on salad and vegetable mixes. The flowers are also harvested, dried, and stored for infusions.
What Speedwell Is Good For And Natural Remedies Made From It
Speedwell is famously prepared as tea using dried flowers. It is a diuretic that is useful for treating tissue swelling or edema and high blood pressure. It is also a stomachic that helps ease digestive issues.
When to cut speedwells back?
The tallest speedwell specimens generally require staking, and in late autumn after the first frost, cut stems back to an inch (2.5 cm.) or so above ground level.
How tall is a speedwell?
The hardy medium sized speedwell, with striking 1 to 3 feet (31-91 cm.) flower spikes, flourishes in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 8. As previously mentioned, the speedwell plant is tolerant of a variety of conditions but prefers full sun and well drained soil.
What is a speedwell plant?
Image by Vaivirga. Planting speedwell ( Veronica officinalis) in the garden is a great way to enjoy long-lasting blooms throughout the summer season. These easy-care plants don’t require much upkeep once established, making them ideal for the busy gardener.
How long does Speedwell perennial flower last?
Flowers will bloom for six to eight weeks throughout the summer months and, as a result, make beautiful cut flower additions to vase arrangements or for container gardening in mixed flower groupings.
What type of soil does Veronica Speedwell like?
However, it does prefer a sunny location with well-draining soil. The soil pH can be as liberal as neutral, alkaline, or acidic with moisture content from average to quite moist.
What is the easiest plant to divide?
Perennials with fibrous or loose root systems are the easiest kind to divide. Siberian irises, for example, can often be pulled apart with your hands once you’ve dug them up and shaken the soil off the roots. Ornamental onions like ‘Serendipity’ are similarly easy to pull apart and divide.
Can you divide perennials?
Perennials. One of the nicest things about growing perennials is that they tend to multiply over time, so they can be divided and replanted or given away to friends and neighbors. In many cases, dividing perennials rejuvenates them so they grow faster and bloom stronger in subsequent years.
Do perennials need to be divided?
Most perennials are amazingly durable. As long as each division has several good roots and some healthy foliage, the plant should grow well in its new digs. Dividing perennials will reward you with healthier, more vigorous performance from your favorite varieties.
Is it illegal to divide a perennial plant?
If a variety is patented or has a patent pending, that will be stated in small print on the plant label. In such cases, it is illegal to divide or propagate and sell that plant.
Can you split onion with a knife?
Ornamental onions like ‘Serendipity’ are similarly easy to pull apart and divide. Dayliliy roots are a little tougher to pull apart but can be cut with a sharp knife. Bee balm and spike speedwell are also easy to divide with a knife. But wait! Not all perennials like to be divided.
How much water do spiked speedwells need?
Even as older plants, they will bloom better when given a moderate amount of water. They typically need 1 inch of water per week.
How to protect Speedwell from winter?
To protect speedwell outdoors from a potentially wet winter, cover the plants with plastic. Excessively moist winter soil may kill the plant.
What is a speedwell Veronica?
Veronica is a robust genus of flowering plants that includes more than 500 species, several dozen of which are cultivated as landscape flowers. Of these, one of the most popular is Veronica spicata, often known as spiked speedwell, which is often called just speedwell. Speedwell is a clump-forming plant with flowers that grow on stalks ...
What is the best soil for spiked speedwell?
Loamy, well-drained soil is the best environment for spiked speedwell. These plants do not like to have "wet feet"; soggy soil can kill them and cause root rot. If you have poor or clay soil, amend it with compost before you plant. The compost will also add nutrients to the ground to give your young plant a good start.
How to prune a faded spike?
Pluck off fades spikes to maximize blooming. The easiest pruning method is to shear off the tops of the plants to remove many blossoms at the same time. It's not a problem if some of the foliage gets cut off; the upper leaves tend to become ratty-looking, anyway. After the first killing frost, cut back all foliage to within a few inches of the ground.
How tall is a V. spicata?
V. spicata 'Giles Van Hees': This variety has pink flowers; at just 6 inches tall when in bloom, this is a good choice if you want a short plant.
Can Speedwell be planted in a pot?
Speedwell's height looks good in container gardens. It thrives in a pot with well-draining soil. Tall spiked blooms may need staking, even in a pot. Try not to disturb speedwell's root system by transplanting too often or the plant can start to wither.
PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS
" Pollinator Charmer " patio container includes: Magic Show® ‘Wizard of Ahhs’ spike speedwell, Rockin® Deep Purple salvia, ‘Cat’s Pajamas’ catmint, ‘Pardon My Lavender’ bee balm, and Luscious® Citrus Blend™ lantana. Photo by: Proven Winners
CARE TIPS
For upright types, cut back spent flowers just below the spike to encourage rebloom. Taller varieties may need staking. All types can be divided in spring or fall every few years as needed, especially if dieback occurs at the center of the plant.
LANDSCAPING TIPS
There are many ways to incorporate this reliable perennial into any landscape. Here’s how:
How to prune Speedwell?
Pinch the tips and first set of leaves of young speedwell plants as soon as you plant them as bedding plants or seedlings in spring. Removing the tips, using scissors or your fingernails, forces the plants to branch out and create bushy, compact growth. Pinch the tips again in about three weeks, if desired, for even fuller growth.
How to deadhead speedwell?
Deadhead speedwell throughout the growing season by pinching or clipping off old, wilted blooms down to the next flower bud or leaf. Removing the spent flowers encourages speedwell plants to continue to produce blooms until autumn. If spent blooms aren't removed, the plants' energy is directed toward developing seeds instead of growing new blooms.
How to grow Speedwell in Clemson?
The Clemson Cooperative Extension recommends feeding perennials such as speedwell in early spring just as new growth emerges. Use 12-6-6 fertilizer at a rate of 1 to 2 pounds per 100 square feet of area. Keep the fertilizer from touching the fresh new growth because it can burn it. Water thoroughly after feeding to distribute the nutrients into the soil.
What zone does Speedwell grow in?
Speedwell (Veronica spp.) grows best within U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3b to 9a, according to the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, where its showy flower spikes will attract pollinating insects such as butterflies.
Does deadheading speedwell flowers bloom?
Deadheading will prompt the plant to bloom again, according to the Chester County Master Gardener Program. The flower spikes on speedwell plants don't bloom all at once; instead, they appear in waves.
