Charming and delicate flowers of Veronica can decorate any flower bed or a discount, ennoble the orchard. Numerous shades of its petals range from sky blue to deep blue. Veronica is a plant, the cultivation of which does not require much effort and time. Almost all garden forms are natural species, very resistant to cold and with good survival rates. So why not try them on your site?
Rod Veronica: description
This genus is the most numerous (about 500 species) among the plantain family. Among them are annual and perennial herbaceous plants, less often shrubs, which are common in all parts of the world, but mainly in temperate and cold regions of Eurasia. Representatives of the genus are widespread in our country.
Any veronica is a plant (photo attached) with characteristic generic characteristics. The first of them is small flowers with two stamens, which are collected in paniculate, spike-like or umbrella-shaped inflorescences (sessile or on a long peduncle). The second - thick rhizomes, shortened or branched, or many thin roots. Among the numerous representatives there are excellent melliferous plants, medicinal plants, as well as ornamental ones. It is the latter that we will pay more attention to.
It should be noted that Veronica is a plant, although not possessing outstanding external characteristics, but beautiful in its simplicity. Small flowers can rise above a flower bed collected in a slender spike or almost spread like a soft “pillow”, braiding everything around. We invite you to learn about the main types of Veronica introduced into the culture.
Veronica armenian
A low plant (7-10 cm) of bright green color, forming a dense and dense turf. The stems are ascending or lying, at the base of woody. Including decorativeness, including leaves 08-1.2 cm long, cirrus-dissected at the base into thin and twisting lobes. The corolla of the flower is pale blue or with a lilac hue with a rich aroma. Bred a pink variety. Armenian veronica is a very drought tolerant, unpretentious plant, and therefore is popular with flower growers when decorating lawns, alpine slides, terraces. Flowering begins in mid-summer. The view is very sensitive to soil. Only rocky substrates with an alkaline environment and a small amount of river sand or fertilized clay are acceptable.
Veronica Austrian
A perennial plant with tall erect stems from 30 to 70 cm, small leaves and bright blue star-shaped flowers collected in brushes. Long flowering, begins in May-June. Drought-resistant, decorative, widely used for decoration rock gardens, rockeries, in group and single landings. The natural habitat is steppes and forest-steppes, mountain meadows and rocky hills. The soil prefers well-drained, sandy.
Veronica is big
A species widely distributed in the natural environment: the entire European part of Russia, the Caucasus, Western Siberia, the Mediterranean, and Central Asia. It grows in sparse forest stands, in meadows and fields. This veronica is a plant (photo above) with an impressive garden history. It has been introduced into culture since 1596. The species is characterized by the formation of dense bushes, of which on a long stem (up to 30 cm) flower stalks come out with asterisks of blue flowers of varying degrees of saturation. Very unpretentious plant, characterized by high winter hardiness (does not require shelter) and drought tolerance. It grows well in any garden soil, prefers sunny places and is moisture-loving. Use it in group and single plantings, it is suitable for cutting into bouquets. Various varieties were developed that differ in bush size, color, and leaf color. In particular, True Blue is a tall Veronica (blue). The plant (photo attached) has inflorescences up to 10 cm long, the flowering period is a month, from the end of May. An unusual Miffy Blue variety grows in a spectacular bush with variegated decorative leaves and large pale blue inflorescences.
Veronica Gentian
It grows in the natural environment in the southern and middle regions of the European part of Russia, in the Caucasus and Crimea, in Asia Minor. This is a herbaceous plant forming beautiful pillow-shaped bushes up to 45 cm high. The leaves are collected in a rosette, dark green, leathery. Inflorescence on a high shoot (30-70 cm), loose, multi-flowered. The color of the corolla is pale blue, often in the direction of a white tone with clear blue veins. The flowers are large, reaching a diameter of 1 cm. Flowering begins in June and lasts for a month, however, the bush retains its decorativeness until the frost. Gentian Veronica is a plant introduced into the gardening culture since 1784, during which time many varieties were bred. Among them are Variegata with leaves bordered by a white stripe, Tissington White with almost white flowers, etc. Veronica is absolutely unpretentious, moisture-loving, but drought-resistant, shade-tolerant, but prefers well-lit places, shelter for the winter is not required.
Veronica spikelet
One of the most decorative species with a large number of bred varieties. Plant up to 40 cm tall with small single stems. The apical raceme-shaped dense inflorescences of saturated blue, blue, violet shades, less often white are especially beautiful. The species was introduced into the culture since 1570. Flowering lasts from mid-summer, gives a lot of seeds, propagates well by self-sowing. Any garden soil is suitable for its cultivation. Spikelet Veronica is a winter-hardy, drought-tolerant, light and moisture-loving plant. It looks especially good in single landings. Examples of varieties: Romiley Purple (saturated purple), Barcarolle (pink), Heidekind (raspberry pink), Rotfishs (cream), White Icicle (white, pictured).
Veronica is small
Highly decorative appearance, demanding on growing conditions. It is a subendemic and grows in nature only on volcanic soils. It forms dense pillows with dark green leaves, completely strewn with small blue flowers of a pure shade and with a delicate aroma. In the garden, reproduction is possible only by dividing the rhizome. Veronica small requires nutritious soil, but in the complete absence of organic matter, constant moderate moisture and good lighting (sunny places) are needed.
Veronica officinalis plant
This species has several advantages at once - decorative and useful. The plant is perennial, with creeping stems that take root in nodes. It grows rapidly - up to 20 cm per season, so it can be used as a ground cover species. The flowers are collected in small brushes, pale purple. Flowering lasts from June to September. It is mainly used as a decorative foliage plant. Resistant to trampling, drought, frost, shade-tolerant, competitive. A high degree of growth should be considered when choosing a place for planting. In folk medicine, Veronica officinalis is used mainly as an expectorant for bronchial asthma, bronchitis in the form of infusions, decoctions, tea.
