CLICK: Color Control Color Choice
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Constituents and Uses, Text Page: Veronica Herb
Heritage Perennial Gardening Guide , John Schroeder and Adrian Bloom - Heritage Perennials BC and Washington
A Modern Herbal by Mrs. M. Grieve, edited by Mrs. C.F.Leyel, Tiger Books International - London