Veronica austriaca
subsp. teucrium
(syn. Veronica teucrium)
Hungarian speedwell
plantaginaceaeBlue flower spikes; narrow, toothed leaves
18 in. high; 24 in. wide
Full sun
Blooms May–June
Zones 3–8
pruning Plants have a tendency to
sprawl and become weedy. Shear them
back by half after flowering; hedge
shears work well for this. A low mound
develops 2–3 weeks after shearing and
the plants stay compact for the
remainder of the season. No additionalpruning is needed until the following
spring. If plants are not sheared before
seeds mature, reseeding can occur.
Plants that are not cut back during the
summer may develop long, straggly
growth that is unattractive over the
winter, so if plants are not cut back in
summer it is best to prune stems down
to tiny basal growth in late autumn.
‘Royal Blue’ appreciates well-drained
soil in full sun to part shade.
other maintenance Easy to grow.
Provide good drainage. Pea stakingcan help support the plant during
flowering. Divide in the spring or
autumn if the plants get too big for
their space. Excessive flopping may be
a sign that division is in order.Veronica spicata
spike speedwell
plantaginaceaePink, blue, or white spike flowers; narrow,
toothed leaves
10–24 in. high; 12–24 in. wide
Full sun
Blooms June–August
Zones 3–8
pruning Deadheading will prolong
bloom, and first-year plants often
flower all summer if deadheaded.
Deadhead plants by cutting them back
to lateral buds or, if buds are not
visible, to the first lateral leaves. Many
forms, particularly the lower-growing
cultivars such as ‘Red Fox’ and
‘Goodness Grows’, should then be
sheared down to the new basal foliage
when all secondary flowering is
finished. Hedge shears make quick
work of this step. The low basal growth
remains attractive for the rest of the
season, and sporadic rebloom may
occur. Some taller forms look best cut
down to basal growth as well if their
stems start to fall over or if they
decline in late summer. Keep plants
moist after cutting down.
Taller forms of Veronica spicata,
such as ‘Blue Charm’ and ‘Blue Peter’,
can be a bit floppy at times, particu-
larly in overly moist or partly shaded
sites; cutting these plants back before
flowering produces nice results. ‘Blue
Charm’, when cut back by about 6 in.
in early June, flowered at 2–2 1/2 ft.,
rather than 3–3 1/2 ft., with about a
1-week delay. ‘Blue Peter’ cut back by
half in early June flowered at 1 1/2 ft.,
about 1 ft. shorter than normal. If
tall-growing forms are not cut down
earlier in the season, tidy gardeners
may opt for pruning plants down for
the winter, as the plants are not espe-
cially attractive at that point. Magic
Show™ ‘Enchanted Indigo’ is a newerVeronica austriaca subsp.
teucrium ‘Royal Blue’