Veronica spicata 'Verswhite' YOUNIQUE BABY® 'White' 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.
The popular YOUNIQUE BABY® series of speedwells includes several colour forms of this undemanding perennial. These are dwarf plants with a dense, compact habit. YOUNIQUE BABY® WHITEproduces charming spikes of pure white flowers at the beginning of summer, reaching a height of 20–30 cm. The stems are firm and branch from the very base. The inflorescences are noticeably shorter than those of typical spicata types, but the plant produces them in such abundance that it forms the effect of a continuous white carpet. The finer, narrowly lanceolate leaves give the clump a light appearance, while the sturdy stems hold their shape even in wind. It flowers continuously from early to late summer when spent spikes are removed regularly. The cultivar was bred by Janus Verschoor and patented in the United States in 2014 under number PP24784.
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 19-06-2016; 29-12-2025
