Common Name: Germander Speedwell

General Information

Veronica chamaedrys is a herbaceous perennial plant growing from a slender, branched, creeping rootstock. It produces a cluster of unbranched, ascending stems 10 - 50cm tall[, ]
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine.
The plant is widely distributed as a weed

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Eurasia - Norway to Portugal, east to Turkey, Syria, the Caucasua, Kazakhstan, western Siberia, northern China

Habitat

A common plant of grassland, woods, hedges etc[, , ]. In dry-valley forest meadows, in forest, forest-steppe and steppe zones, among shrubs, in gardens, fields[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.30 m
Pollinators	Insects
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Easily grown in a moderately fertile moisture retentive well drained soil[]. Prefers cool summers[].
A good bee plant[].
A common garden weed, it grows well in a lawn[] and can be grown in the spring meadow[]. It is also a good plant for the flower border[].

Edible Uses

The leaves are a tea substitute[, ].

Medicinal

The herb is a blood purifier and vulnerary[]. Internally, an infusion of the leaves once had a good reputation in the treatment of coughs, asthma, catarrh etc[].
It is applied externally to skin diseases and is said to be an efficacious treatment for the itch[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow autumn in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
If you have sufficient quantity, the seed can be sown in situ in the autumn or the spring.
Division in autumn or spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the summer or the following spring.