Veronica spicata 'HEIDEKIND' spiked speedwell
Veronica
The genus Veronica belongs among the most numerous and the most diverse groups of flowering plants of the temperate zone. It includes several hundred species distributed almost worldwide, from alpine meadows and forest understories to dry steppes and coastal rocks. It was described in the 18th century by Carl Linnaeus, who adopted an already established name linked to the legend of Saint Veronica. The legend says that she offered Christ a piece of cloth during his arduous journey to Golgotha, with which he wiped sweat and blood off his face. His image was said to have miraculously imprinted itself on the fabric, the so‑called vera icon, or “true image”. This idea of a faithful, unembellished imprint of reality was symbolically transferred in pre‑modern botany to speedwells, whose small, clearly drawn flowers were perceived as honest and needing no adornment.
Spiked speedwell is our native European perennial, botanically described as early as the 18th century. In the wild, it grows on dry meadows, steppe slopes, and open hillsides of Europe and western Asia with well‑drained soils, where it forms firm, compact clumps and blooms in upright spikes. It belongs to the group of speedwells adapted to full sun and relatively dry conditions. The inflorescences appear from early summer and give the plant a clear, vertical silhouette which distinguishes it from creeping or ground‑covering species. It is often hybridized with related species (V. longifolia, V. incana) to obtain longer inflorescences, slightly different foliage, or increased drought tolerance. The combination of its simplicity and natural beauty has ensured its long‑standing popularity in cottage and naturalistic gardens, and in England it has even become the official flower of Montgomeryshire in Wales.
This German speedwell bears the poetic name Heidekind, meaning “child of the heath”. Its flower spikes indeed recall the inflorescences of autumn heathers, yet they come into bloom much earlier, already at the beginning of summer. It produces 8–12 cm long spikes densely packed with rich lilac‑pink flowers that open gradually from the base upwards. The first flush is the most abundant and can be expected from mid‑June for approximately three weeks. When grown in fertile soil and with spent flower spikes removed promptly, the plant may continue flowering until early autumn in two additional flushes. The leaves are narrowly lanceolate, finely serrated along the margins, and medium green. The plant forms dense, strictly upright and low clumps reaching about 30–40 cm in height. It is well suited to rock gardens, containers, and perennial borders, where it can be used as an edging plant or allowed to stand out when planted in larger groups.
Spiked speedwell and its hybrids are undemanding, long‑lived perennials that perform best in full sun and in well‑drained, rather dry soils. They do not tolerate waterlogging: during summer, excess moisture may lead to powdery mildew, while winter wet can cause root rot. On the other hand, they cope well with drought and summer heat. Except for cultivars explicitly noted as remontant without cutting, we recommend cutting the stems back to ground level after flowering, which encourages re-growth and often a second, lighter flush of bloom. The plant is fully hardy to abt. −34 °C (USDA zone 4) and requires no special care or winter protection. It can also be grown year‑round in outdoor containers, provided excellent drainage is ensured as well as occasional light watering.
Last update 09-11-2020; 27-12-2025
