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Veronica
Veronica spicata
Veronica blooms from June through August.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing Veronica
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 3–8. Expect it to reach about 1.6 ft tall and 1.3 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 2 years.
When to plant Veronica
Plant Veronica in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. For the middle of its hardy zones 3 to 8 range, spring means April to June and fall means August or September. Once settled, it blooms from June to August.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 5 in April.
Comes in 10 varieties across 4 colors
Same plant, same care - pick the color you are growing.
Good to know about Veronica
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Worth knowing
After the first flush fades, shear the whole plant hard, down to the low basal rosette. That triggers fresh foliage and a repeat bloom into fall. per NC State and Missouri Botanical Garden
How drought tolerant is it
Sources split: one calls it moderately drought tolerant, others say its shallow roots need steady moisture. The real answer is average water, not the dry-tolerant creeping veronicas. per University of Florida and Missouri Botanical Garden
Wet soil is the killer
The top way to lose it is root rot in soggy ground, worst in cold, wet winter soil. It shrugs off poor, rocky soil far better than wet feet. per NC State and Missouri Botanical Garden
Shade is a double penalty
Shade both thins the bloom and invites powdery and downy mildew. Full sun with airy spacing and watering at the base fixes both at once. per Illinois and Michigan State
Draws bees and butterflies
The dense spikes of tiny florets open in succession over a long summer, giving bees and butterflies steady forage; the genus page adds hummingbirds. per NC State and Missouri Botanical Garden
Deer and rabbit resistant
Deer and rabbits usually leave spike speedwell alone, so it fits an unfenced border where browsing is a problem. per NC State and Wisconsin
What pairs well with Veronica
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Aster
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in early fall as this one finishes; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Perennial Sunflower
Shares full sun and moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage.
Rock Cress
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; lower at 4 in, for the front of the border.
Lilac
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; taller at 9.8 ft, for the layer behind it; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Autumn Crocus
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in early fall as this one finishes; lower at 6 in, for the front of the border; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Flowering Crabapple
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Viburnum
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; taller at 6.6 ft, for the layer behind it; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Fountain Grass
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it.
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Drop this plant onto a 3D plan, see how it fills in, and watch your whole garden bloom across the year.