Find Your Ask the Expert: Can you identify this flower?
Veronica spicata
My wife and I saw this flowering plant in a garden near our home and we were intigued. It stands only about a foot tall and the blue flowering stems are only about 6 inches in length. I have attached a picture. Can you identify it for us? Cliff
Plant Expert Reply:
It looks like a perennial called Veronica spicata, possibly ‘Darwin Blue’ or ‘Royal Candles’. I have a different Veronica spicata cultivar ‘Blue Bouquet’ in my garden and I love it. It performs very very in my area and is an attractive backdrop for the soft pink ground cover rose in my garden. Veronica is also known as Speedwell and a fantastic summer bloomer.
Jamie,
You are awesome. I have decided that I like the name Royal Candles. It is very descriptive of the plant that we saw in the city garden. Now that I know what it is, I will look for it.
Thanks again for your help.
Attached Image: Hansen pk1.jpg
One more person in the “Jamie is Awesome” camp. :)
We have these growing in our backyard and love them. We recently had children and a visitor told us they are poisonous if eaten. Can someone confirm if this is true or not? We like the plants, but if these pose a threat to our children; we are very anxious about this. Can someone tell us for sure?
As far as I know Veronica is not a poisonous plant. In fact Veronica officinalis is a medicinal herb used to treat upset stomachs and bronchial issues. It has weak diuretic and expectorant effects.
I’m not sure if Veronica spicata (the plant you have) has any medicinal qualities. However, I don’t believe it has any toxic qualities.