Corn speedwell is a winter annual weed with tiny bright blue flowers. It prefers sunny locations in poor soils that are moist to dry in disturbed areas. It is low-branching and spreads by seeds, occasionally forming colonies.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 2 in. - 0 ft. 8 in. | Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
5 - Groundcover (<1 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Prostrate
Texture
Fine
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate; Opposite
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Linear; Oblong; Orbicular; Ovate
Leaf margin
Crenulate; Entire
Leaf size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
The yellow-green lower leaves are up to 3/8" long and across and are hairy, oval-orbicular, crenate along their margins, and opposite with very short stems. The middle to upper leaves are up to ¼" long, linear-oblong to lanceolate in shape, slightly crenate or smooth, alternate and sessile. They are hairy and yellow-green to green.
Flower color
Blue; Purple/Lavender
Flower value
Good Cut
Flower form
Raceme; Spike
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
The flower is a blue-violet to blue corolla with 4 petal-like lobes and 4 hairy green sepals. They bloom near the apex of the stems in mid-spring to mid-summer.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
1/8 inch long heart-shaded capsule with numerous yellow seeds.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Green
Stem detail
Prostrate to erect stems
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Europe, Asia, Africa
Distribution
Forests, streambanks, prairies, savannas, glades, tops of bluffs, fields, lawns, railroads, roadsides, and open, disturbed areas.
Attracts
Butterflies
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Capsule
Uses (ethnobotany)
The herb is alterative, antiscorbutic and diuretic. It has been used used for the treatment of scurvy, impurities of the blood etc. It is also used as a remedy for scrofulous affections, especially of the skin, and is bruised and applied externally for healing burns and ulcers.