The Veronicas (Speedwell)

When I planted dear Veronica ,  I had no idea she would flower more and more deeply,  in such lustrous lavender spikes. She is so well accomodated to the garden that I have moved her three times, even to a new garden, and when I cut her back after July she reblooms, albeit in tender small spikes.

Though she makes a million seeds she is not seedy, and prefers to multiply from the root base, which she does lustily.

I quite love this plant, and to prove it, I researched perennial cultivars as well as natural varieties.Here is a brief list of perennials and of traditional Veronica herbs.

Recent Perennials

Alpine Speedwell (Veronica Dabneyi)-This is pink speedwell,grows in a short clump.

Veronica filifolia -a 2 - 4" variety making a carpet with large sky -blue flowers.

"Goodness Grows"- like V Spicata. Rich purple flowers above 10 " foliage.

Veronica Incana (Wooly Speedwell) -silver -gray foliage,violet-blue flowers,12-18".

Veronica Prostata  - Low creeper, grey green, with showy sapphire - blue flowers (Heavenly Blue) and (Mrs Holt) - bright pink.

Veronica repens - (Creeping Speedwell) - Flat carpet of little green leaves and small white blooms.

Veronica Spicata -  (Spike Speedwell) - Bushy with upright spikes of violet-blue.1-3',also ("Red Fox")- deep rose pink.

Veronica (Sunny Border Blue) -  See the photo on the preceding page.18 -24".

Veronica Teucrium (Crater Lake Blue) -  Spikes of bright gentian- blue flowers.12".

Veronica whitleyi (Whitleys' Speedwell) - spreading mat of grey-green with baby-blue round single flowers, like wild speedwell.

Wild Herbs

Veronica

Agrestis, Alpina, Arvensis, beccabunga, buxbaumii, chamaedrys, hederifolia, nigricans, officinalis, purpurea, saxatilis, scutellata, serpyllifolia, spicata, triphyllos, verna, virginica.

In the former page, the medicinal indications did not include the more comprehensive notations on Blackroot,(Leptandra Virginica.) My book says:

 "Leptandrin excites the liver gently and promotes the secretion of the bile without irritating the bowels or purging."

Also used for chronic dysentery, cholera infantum and a tonic for both stomach and liver. Dosages are from tincture or tisane employing the dried root and are expressed in grains.

Constituents:

volatile oil, extractive, tannic acid, gum, resin, a crystalline principle, a saccharine principle resembling mannite, and a glucoside resembling senegrin. Tincture of the root and impure resin precipitated by water have been called Leptandrin.

Remedies 

Of Veronica Officinalis, (Common Speedwell) An infusion of dried plant is good for coughs and catarrh. Do not confuse the Speedwells, as some have different properties. See the comprehensive A Modern Herbal.

Perennials research:

Heritage Perennial Gardening Guide , John Schroeder and Adrian Bloom- Heritage Perennials BC and Washington

Herbs research:

A Modern Herbal by Mrs. M. Grieve, edited by Mrs. C.F.Leyel, Tiger Books International - London

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