Veronica perfoliata syn. Parahebe perfoliata ; syn Hebe perfoliata
Diggers Speedwell
one of these Australian veronicas (Veronica perfoliata). It grows in south-eastern Australia and it's occasionally cultivated in New Zealand. This rather straggly plant has been growing in a pot, but given a good spot in the garden it will adopt a nice rounded form from a bunch of new shoots that arise from the rootstock each spring. The leaves are very Eucalyptus-like, bluish green and very firm, and joined in opposite pairs to surround the stem—that's what perfoliate means. In fact if you saw it when not in flower, you'd probably think it was a gum tree seedling. flowers are a strong mauve colour, with a little pink surrounding a dense tuft of glassy hairs in the centre. These long glassy hairs are found in quite a few of the Australian species (like V. derwentiana and V. nivea), but we don't see anything like them in New Zealand Veronica. It's easy to propagate from cuttings. You can cut the stem up just above every pair of leaves, so each internode makes a good cutting. New:Veronica plants can be annuals or perennials. (Shrub species are now classified as Hebes) They have pairs of leaves, and small flowers, usually in spikes. 'Diggers speedwell' is native to Australia. It is a rather straggly, woody plant with leathery blue-green leaves and in late Summer blue flowers
Contributed by @scottulent
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Full sun to deep shade
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Very little water
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Full Frost Hardy: 5F (-15°C)
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Moist and free draining
Common name
Diggers Speedwell
Latin name
Veronica perfoliata syn. Parahebe perfoliata ; syn Hebe perfoliata
type
Flowering plant
family
Plantaginaceae
ph
5.0 - 8.0 Acid - Neutral
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Light
Full sun to deep shade
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Frost
Full Frost Hardy: 5F (-15°C)
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Soil
Moist and free draining
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Water
Very little water
Plant & bloom calendar
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Best time to plant
full grown dimensions
0.50 M
0.70 M
Veronica perfoliata syn. Parahebe perfoliata ; syn Hebe perfoliata
one of these Australian veronicas (Veronica perfoliata). It grows in south-eastern Australia and it's occasionally cultivated in New Zealand. This rather straggly plant has been growing in a pot, but given a good spot in the garden it will adopt a nice rounded form from a bunch of new shoots that arise from the rootstock each spring. The leaves are very Eucalyptus-like, bluish green and very firm, and joined in opposite pairs to surround the stem—that's what perfoliate means. In fact if you saw it when not in flower, you'd probably think it was a gum tree seedling. flowers are a strong mauve colour, with a little pink surrounding a dense tuft of glassy hairs in the centre. These long glassy hairs are found in quite a few of the Australian species (like V. derwentiana and V. nivea), but we don't see anything like them in New Zealand Veronica. It's easy to propagate from cuttings. You can cut the stem up just above every pair of leaves, so each internode makes a good cutting. New:Veronica plants can be annuals or perennials. (Shrub species are now classified as Hebes) They have pairs of leaves, and small flowers, usually in spikes. 'Diggers speedwell' is native to Australia. It is a rather straggly, woody plant with leathery blue-green leaves and in late Summer blue flowers
Planting
From Early Autumn TO Late Spring
Plant alpine species (low growing) in any ordinary, well-drained soil in a sunny position from early Autumn to mid Spring,. The herbaceous perennial varieties should be planted between mid Autumn and late Spring in ordinary soil enriched with well rotted manure. The soil should be well drained but moisture retentive. Choose a site in full sun or partial shade. On exposed sites, stake the plants with twiggy supports.
Propagation by Division
From Late Winter TO Late Winter
All species except the invasive V. cinerea and C. pectinata can be propagated by division which should occur every third year.
Propogation by Cuttings
From Mid Summer TO Late Summer
All species can be increased from 2 inch cuttings of lateral shoots, taken in mid to late Summer
Layzy
scottulent