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Thymeleaf Speedwell

Veronica serpyllifolia (veh-RON-ih-ka ser-pil-ly-FOH-lee-a)

Family: Plantaginaceae Non-native Herbaceous (1-3 ft)

Thyme-leaved Speedwell is a perennial in the plantain family. Plant in full sun to partial shade. It withstands a wide variety of soil types as long as the soil is well-drained. Plants can be grown from seed or division. Divide plants every few seasons in the fall to maintain plant vigor.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 38 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

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 plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Ground Cover; Herbaceous Perennial; Perennial
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Light
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
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Spreading
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire; Lobed
Leaf size
1-3 inches long
Hairs present
Yes
Flower color
Blue; Purple/Lavender; White
Flower form
Raceme
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
4-petaled blue or white with blue stripes appear on long stalks bloom from mid-spring to early summer. Remove spent flower stalks to encourage more blooms.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Stem color
Green; Purple/Lavender
Stem detail
Green stems with purple blush are erect or creep along the ground
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Eurasia, Africa
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Lawn; Meadow; Woodland
Garden tags
#flowers early summer #hairy stems #hairy leaves #flowers mid-spring #perennial
Problems & Resistance
Propagation
Division; Root Cutting; Seed

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.