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Veronica polita

grey field-speedwell

Plantaginaceae

Europe and western Asia (naturalized worldwide)

Attracts Pollinators

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium

Overview

Veronica polita is a low, sprawling winter annual in the plantain family, growing 2-8 inches (5-20 cm) tall with branching stems that lie along the ground and root at the lower joints, forming loose mats. The small, rounded to oval leaves are 0.2-0.5 inch (5-13 mm) long, grey-green, and bluntly toothed. From late winter into spring it bears single small flowers about 0.2 inch (5-8 mm) wide in the leaf axils, each on a short stalk, with four bright blue petals, the lowest often paler. The flowers open in sunshine and are followed by broad, two-lobed seed capsules. It completes its life cycle quickly and can produce several generations in a year, self-sowing heavily. Native to Europe and western Asia, it has spread worldwide as a weed of gardens, lawns, croplands, and disturbed ground, growing well in cool seasons. The plant is small and shallow-rooted, so it is easy to pull, but its abundant seed lets it return. It grows in sun to part shade on most soils, favoring moist, fertile, disturbed ground. It dies back in summer heat after seeding.

Native Range

Native to Europe and western Asia, and naturalized widely across North America and other temperate regions. It grows as a weed of gardens, lawns, cultivated fields, roadsides, and other disturbed ground, especially in the cooler parts of the year.

Suggested Uses

This species is not grown as an ornamental; it is a common weed of gardens, lawns, and farmland. It appears on its own in disturbed, fertile ground and is generally controlled rather than planted. Information on it is mainly for identification and weed management.

How to Identify

Identified by low, sprawling stems with small, grey-green, bluntly toothed rounded leaves, and single small four-petaled blue flowers held in the leaf axils on short stalks. The seed capsule is broad and two-lobed. It forms loose mats on disturbed ground in cool seasons.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height2" - 8"

Width/Spread6" - 1'

Colors

Flower Colors

blue

Foliage Colors

grey green

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~12 weeks

Winter Spring

Blooms from late winter into spring, roughly February to May, with small blue flowers opening on sunny days. In mild areas it can flower through much of a cool winter. Flowering and seeding overlap, allowing rapid self-sowing.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

grey-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam clay silt

Drainageaverage

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

This is a weedy annual rather than a cultivated plant, and it grows readily on its own in moist, fertile, disturbed soil in sun to part shade. Where it is unwanted, pulling or hoeing seedlings before they flower and seed reduces its return, since it relies entirely on heavy seeding. Shallow roots make it easy to remove by hand. It needs no care to persist and spreads quickly in cultivated beds and lawns. It dies back naturally in summer heat. No serious pests or diseases affect it.

Pruning

Pruning does not apply to this low annual weed. Management is by pulling, hoeing, or mowing before seed sets. Repeated removal over the cool season reduces the seed bank.

✓ Toxicity

Non-toxic