Speedwell: Species, Growing Ornamental Speedwells, Common Speedwell and Fighting Weeds in the Lawn

Growing speedwell – ordinary substrate, sunny position or partial shade, moderate watering

In brief: Speedwell (Veronica) includes ornamental perennials for sunny beds, the traditional tea herb common speedwell, and creeping lawn weeds. Plant ornamental species in spring or in September at a spacing of 25–40 cm, in sun and in well-drained soil. In the lawn, dense grass, higher mowing and weeding out the patches help.

Ornamental speedwells	10–80 cm, blue, purple, pink or white spikes, flower June to August
Common speedwell	creeping, 10–30 cm, pale blue-purple flowers, May to July
Planting	spring or September, tall ones 35–40 cm apart, low ones 25–30 cm
Position	ornamental: sun, well-drained soil; common speedwell: partial shade, drier more acidic soil
Propagation	dividing clumps, cuttings, sowing in March

You meet speedwell almost everywhere: as tiny blue flowers in the lawn in spring, as a creeping herb at the edge of a wood and as tall purple spikes in a perennial bed. It is said to have got its Czech name (rozrazil, "break apart") from the flowers, which easily fall apart and drop when picked or shaken.

Under one name, however, hide useful herbs, beautiful perennials and annoying weeds. We therefore divide the article by what you are dealing with: growing ornamental speedwells, common speedwell as an herb, or speedwell in the lawn.

The best-known species of speedwell

Species	Height	Flowers	Where you meet it
Common speedwell (Veronica officinalis)	10–30 cm, creeping	May–July	woodland edges, clearings, dry grasslands
Germander speedwell (V. chamaedrys)	15–30 cm	April–June	meadows, field margins, lawn edges
Spiked speedwell (V. spicata)	20–50 cm	June–August	steppe slopes, gardens as a perennial
Long-leaved speedwell (V. longifolia)	50–100 cm	July–September	damp meadows, perennial beds
Large speedwell (V. teucrium)	20–50 cm	May–July	dry slopes, rock gardens
Slender speedwell (V. filiformis)	up to 5 cm, forms carpets	April–May	lawns, introduced from the Caucasus
Common field speedwell (V. persica)	10–30 cm, annual	almost all year	beds, fields, weed

Botanists today place the spiked speedwells with upright spikes in a separate genus (Pseudolysimachion), but they continue to be sold under the name speedwell or Veronica. Occasionally you also come across Culver's root, a tall perennial up to 150 cm, which is related but belongs to a different genus.

Growing ornamental speedwell

Spiked speedwell and its varieties are among the most reliable summer perennials. It forms compact clumps from which straight, slender spikes grow. Low species, such as prostrate or large speedwell, suit a rock garden and dry stone walls.

Position and soil

Spiked speedwells want full sun; in partial shade they flop. Long-leaved speedwell also tolerates partial shade and damper soil. The soil should be well-drained and moderately fertile; low species for a rock garden also cope with poor stony soil.

Planting and watering

Plant in spring or in September, tall species 35–40 cm apart, low ones 25–30 cm, preferably in groups of 3–5 plants. In the first year water regularly, afterwards only in long drought. Waterlogging in winter harms more than drought in summer. Speedwell combines well with yarrow, woodland sage, coneflower or ornamental grasses.

Propagation and pruning

Method	Timing	Procedure
Division	spring, every 3–4 years	dig up the clump and divide it into parts with roots and several buds
Cuttings	May–June	6–8 cm long non-flowering shoots, remove the lower leaves, push into damp sand with substrate, root in 3–4 weeks
Sowing	March	seeds on the surface of the substrate, press in, germinate in 2–3 weeks at 18–20 °C
Pruning after flowering	summer	cut spent spikes back to the nearest pair of leaves

Varieties from seed need not be the same as the parent plant. After pruning, the plant often flowers once more from side buds.

Common speedwell as a traditional herb

Common speedwell is a low creeping herb with hairy stems and tiny pale blue-purple flowers in racemes. It grows in light places in woods, in clearings and in dry grasslands, rather on more acidic soils. The flowering foliage is collected from May to July.

Traditionally it was added to herbal tea blends. Its effects are not clinically verified, so take the tea as a traditional herbal drink, not as a medicine. Do not use it in pregnancy, while breastfeeding and for children because of the lack of data. Collect only where it grows abundantly and outside protected areas.

Collecting and drying

Cut the foliage with scissors about 5 cm above the ground on a dry day when it starts to flower.
Spread it in a thin layer on paper in shade and a draught.
The drying temperature should not exceed 35–40 °C.
Store the dried foliage in a paper bag or glass jar in the dark and use it within a year.

Beware, some speedwells are protected in the Czech Republic, for example Veronica acinifolia or Pseudolysimachion spurium. When collecting in the wild, be sure of the identification of the species.

Speedwell in the lawn: how to cope with it

The tiny blue flowers in the lawn in spring most often belong to slender speedwell. It forms dense carpets and spreads mainly by stem fragments: the mower chops them up and scatters them around the lawn, where every piece takes root. In beds, annual common field speedwell appears, and in spring ivy-leaved speedwell. Ordinary lawn herbicides mostly do not work on it, so the condition of the grass decides.

Rake out and weed. Dig out smaller patches with their roots.
Collect the cut grass. Take it away from the affected places so that fragments do not spread.
Mow higher. Grass mown to 5–6 cm shades ground-level speedwell better than a lawn cut short.
Feed. Speedwell thrives in a thin and hungry lawn.
Overseed. Sow the bare places after digging out straight away with a mixture suitable for the position.
Mulch beds. Against common field speedwell hoeing in dry weather and a layer of mulch help.

You can find more general lawn care in the article Not every lawn is the same and in the text Spring lawn crash course!.

When to leave speedwell in the garden

Where speedwell does not form a carpet across a whole bed, you need not drive it out. Creeping species at the edge of a lawn fill gaps and in April and May provide the first flowers for bees and other insects. It becomes a problem only when it starts to crowd out the grass or ornamental plants.

Frequently asked questions

Why is the plant called "rozrazil"?

Because the flowers easily fall apart and drop when picked or shaken.

Is speedwell poisonous?

The common species are not considered poisonous. Common speedwell was traditionally used in teas; for the other species internal use has no support.

When does speedwell flower?

Slender speedwell and germander speedwell in April to June, common speedwell in May to July and ornamental spiked speedwells from June to August, and later after pruning.

How do I get rid of creeping speedwell in the lawn without chemicals?

Rake out and weed the patches, collect the cut grass, mow higher, feed and overseed. Dense grass gradually crowds out speedwell.

Is speedwell perennial?

Most ornamental speedwells, common speedwell and slender speedwell are perennial. The weedy species, common field speedwell and ivy-leaved speedwell, are annual.

Sources

Updated: 5 October 2026