About Veronica
Veronica is a slim tapering spike of tiny densely packed flowers, usually deep purple-blue, sometimes pink or white, on a fine stem. It gives the same vertical line as a snapdragon or a delphinium at a fraction of the scale, which makes it one of the few spike flowers that genuinely works in a table arrangement rather than a pedestal.
It is also called speedwell, an old name that probably refers to travelling well, and it is a relative of foxgloves. Cut it and the plant sends up more, so a single garden clump keeps producing for weeks.
Primary Meanings
- Fidelity: The traditional meaning
- Loyalty: The Victorian association
- Safe Travel: From the name speedwell
- Persistence: It reflowers repeatedly if cut
Veronica Colors and Their Meanings
Purple-Blue Veronica
The classic and most grown
Pink Veronica
Common cultivars
White Veronica
Icicle and similar
Deep Violet Veronica
The strongest colour available
Popular Veronica Types
Veronica spicata
The main cut flower species, dense spikes
Veronica longifolia
Taller and finer, better for cutting
Sunny Border Blue
Deep violet, a widely grown garden cultivar
Veronicastrum
Culver's root; a taller relative with branched spires
Care Instructions
Clean Water
Fine stems foul water quickly.
Strip Leaves
Foliage rots before the flowers finish.
Cut to Reflower
In the garden, cutting brings more spikes.
Cool Room
Heat shortens it noticeably.
Best Occasions for Veronica
- Table Arrangements: Vertical line at the right scale
- Summer Bouquets: Its natural season
- Cottage Style: With cosmos, ammi and scabiosa
- Pollinator Gardens: Heavily favoured by bees
Interesting Veronica Facts
- It is a relative of foxgloves, not of the spike flowers it resembles
- Speedwell probably refers to travelling well, from a charm carried by travellers
- Cutting it makes the plant produce more spikes
- The flowers open from the bottom of the spike upward
- Veronicastrum, Culver's root, is the taller branched relative
How to Buy Good Veronica
Buy spikes with the lower half open and the tip still in tight bud, since veronica opens upward and you want that ahead of you. The individual flowers should be bright and evenly coloured, not faded at the base, which is where it finishes. Stems are fine and should be firm rather than floppy. Check the foliage carefully: it goes well before the flowers do, and a bunch with yellowing leaves has been standing.
Season, Availability and What Drives the Price
Early to late summer, mostly from field growers, with limited supply outside that. It is inexpensive and is one of those flowers that is far more common in gardens than in shops, so a farmers' market is often a better source than a florist. Wedding demand for the loose cottage style has raised its profile over the last few years and firmed up summer prices a little.
What to Use Instead
Liatris gives the same slim spike and lasts longer, though it opens the other way. Snapdragons and stock cover the same line at a larger scale. Salvia gives a very similar effect and is closely related in appearance. Lavender provides the fine purple spike with scent. For a small-scale spike that suits a dinner table, veronica and salvia are the two obvious choices.
Safety Around Pets and Skin
Veronica is not listed as toxic to cats or dogs by the ASPCA and is generally treated as safe. Worth distinguishing from its relative the foxglove, Digitalis, which is seriously poisonous and looks quite different but sits in the same plant family. Veronica itself presents no significant hazard.
Florist Tips for Veronica
It is the table-scale spike
Most spike flowers are too tall for a dinner table. Veronica gives the same vertical line at a height that lets people see each other, which is why florists reach for it in event work.
Cut it and the plant gives you more
In a garden, cutting spikes as they finish prompts a second and often a third flush. A single clump can supply a table all summer.
Strip the leaves
The foliage collapses well before the flowers and clouds the water. Take it off below the waterline.
Common Questions About Veronica
Why is veronica called speedwell?
The name is old and probably means travelling well; the flowers were associated with safe journeys and were carried as a charm. Veronica itself is likely a reference to Saint Veronica.
Is veronica related to foxgloves?
Yes, they are in the same family. Foxgloves are Digitalis and are seriously poisonous; veronica is not. They look quite different but the relationship occasionally surprises people.
Will veronica flower again if I cut it?
In the garden, yes. Cutting spikes as they finish encourages a second and sometimes a third flush of flowers, so a single plant can supply cut stems through most of the summer.