Veronica longifolia

Garden Speedwell, Long-leaf Speedwell

PlantaginaceaeLeaves

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What to Eat

Edible parts: Leaves

Leaves and young shoots can be eaten raw or cooked. This is a famine food, used only when other options have been exhausted.

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant. In Argentina it grows below 500 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 4-9.

Argentina, Asia, Australia, Balkans, Belgium, Britain, Bulgaria, China, Europe, New Zealand, North America, Siberia, South America, USA,

Countries: Andorra, United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Antigua & Barbuda, Albania, Armenia, Argentina, Austria, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Barbados, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bulgaria, Bahrain, Brunei, Bolivia, Brazil, Bahamas, Bhutan, Belarus, Belize, Canada, Switzerland, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, United Kingdom, Grenada, Georgia, French Guiana, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Croatia, Haiti, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Iceland, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, St Kitts & Nevis, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, St Lucia, Liechtenstein, Sri Lanka, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Monaco, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Myanmar, Mongolia, Malta, Maldives, Mexico, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Netherlands, Norway, Nepal, Oman, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Pakistan, Poland, Puerto Rico, Portugal, Paraguay, Qatar, Romania, Serbia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Singapore, Slovenia, Slovakia, San Marino, Suriname, El Salvador, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Trinidad & Tobago, Taiwan, Ukraine, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, St Vincent, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen

How to Identify

An erect herb. It grows 50-120 cm high and spreads 40-75 cm wide. The leaves are narrow and lance shaped. They have teeth along the edge and have some hairs. The leaves at the base are 10 cm long. the leaves higher up are smaller. The flowers are in spikes at the top of the plant. These are 25 cm long. They are made up of small blue flowers.

How to Grow

Easily grown in a moderately fertile moisture retentive well drained soil. Prefers cool summers. A number of cultivars have been selected for their ornamental value.

Propagation: Sow seed in autumn in a cold frame. Prick seedlings into individual pots once large enough and plant out in summer. Divide in autumn or spring — larger divisions can go directly into permanent positions, while smaller ones do best potted up and grown on in light shade until established, then planted out in summer or the following spring.

Medicinal Uses

None known.

Other Uses

None known.

Wikipedia

Source ↗

Veronica longifolia, known as garden speedwell or longleaf speedwell, is a flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae.

Notes

There are about 250 Veronica species. Also put in the family Scrophulariaceae.

Names & Synonyms

Pseudolysimachion longifolium

References (7)

Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 1010
Brickell, C. (Ed.), 1999, The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. Convent Garden Books. p 1046
Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 1462
Hibbert, M., 2002, The Aussie Plant Finder 2002, Florilegium. p 305
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
READ,
Sp. pl. 1:10. 1753