Charming and delicate flowers of Veronica are capabledecorate any flower bed or rabatku, elevate the orchard. The numerous shades of its petals range from sky blue to deep blue. Veronica is a plant, the cultivation of which does not require a lot of 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 (about500 species) among the family Podorozhnikovye. It includes 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 widely distributed in our country.
Any Veronica - plant (photo attached) withcharacteristic generic features. The first one is small flowers with two stamens, which are collected in paniculate, spicate or umbellate inflorescences (sessile or on a long peduncle). The second - thick rhizomes, shortened or branched, or a lot of thin roots. Among numerous representatives there are excellent honey plants, medicinal plants, and also ornamental ones. It is the last we will pay more attention.
It should be noted that Veronica is a plant, althoughnot possessing outstanding external characteristics, but beautiful in its simplicity. Small flowers can rise above the flowerbed collected in a slender spike or almost creep along with a soft “pillow”, braiding everything around. We invite you to learn about the main types of Veronica, introduced into the culture.
Veronica Armenian
Low plant (7-10 cm) bright green,forming dense and thick turf. Stems ascending or lying, lumbering at the base. Decorative leaves, including the length of 08-1.2 cm, pinnately dissected at the base into thin and twisted lobes. The corolla of the flower is pale blue or lilac with a rich aroma. Bred pink variety. Armenian Veronica is a very drought-resistant, unpretentious plant, and therefore it is popular with flower growers when making lawns, alpine slides, and terraces. Flowering begins in mid-summer. The view is very sensitive to the ground. Only stony substrates with an alkaline medium and a small amount of river sand or fertilized clay are acceptable.
Austrian Veronica
Perennial plant with high erectstems from 30 to 70 cm, small leaves and stellate bright blue flowers, collected in the brush. Flowering is long, starting from May-June. Drought-resistant, decorative, is widely used for decoration of rock gardens, rockeries, in group and single landings. The natural area of growth - the steppe and forest-steppe, mountain meadows and stony hills. Prefers well drained, sandy soil.
Veronica is big
View widespread in the wild:the whole European part of Russia, the Caucasus, Western Siberia, the Mediterranean, Central Asia. It grows in sparse forest plantations, meadows and fields. This Veronica is a plant (photo above) with an impressive garden history. In culture, it was introduced in 1596. The species is characterized by the formation of dense bushes, from which on a long stem (up to 30 cm) there are peduncles with asterisks of blue hues of varying degrees of saturation. A very unpretentious plant, characterized by high winter hardiness (does not require shelter) and drought resistance. It grows well on any garden soil, prefers sunny places and moisture-loving. Use it in group and single landings, it is suitable for cutting into bouquets. Different varieties, differing in the size of the bush, color, leaf color, are derived. 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 variety Miffy Blue grows into a spectacular bush with variegated decorative leaves and large pale blue inflorescences.
Veronica Gorechkovaya
In the natural environment grows in the southern andmiddle regions of the European part of Russia, in the Caucasus and the Crimea, in Asia Minor. This is a herbaceous plant that forms beautiful cushion-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, many-flowered. The color of the corolla is pale blue, often in the direction of white with clear blue veins. The flowers are large, reaching a diameter of 1 cm. Flowering begins in June and lasts for a month, but the bush preserves its decorative effect until it frosts. Mountain Veronica - a plant introduced into the culture of horticulture since 1784, during this time many varieties have been bred. Among them, Variegata with white-edged leaves, Tissington White with almost white flowers, etc. Veronica is absolutely unpretentious, moisture-loving, but drought-resistant, shade-resistant, but prefers well-lit places, shelter for the winter is not required.
Veronica spikelet
One of the most decorative species with a largenumber of bred varieties. Plant up to 40 cm in height with few single stalks. The apical racemose dense inflorescences of saturated blue, blue, violet shades are more beautiful, less often white. The species has been introduced into culture since 1570. Long flowering from mid-summer, gives a lot of seeds, well propagated by self-sowing. For its cultivation fit any garden soil. Koloskovaya Veronika - a plant winter-hardy, drought-resistant, light and moisture-loving. Looks particularly good in single landings. Examples of varieties: Romiley Purple (deep purple), Barcarolle (pink), Heidekind (raspberry pink), Rotfishs (cream), White Icicle (white, in the photo).
Veronica is small
Highly decorative look, exacting conditionscultivation. It is subendemic and grows in nature only on volcanic soils. Forms dense pillows with dark green leaves, completely covered with small blue flowers of pure shade and delicate aroma. In the conditions of a garden reproduction is possible only by dividing the rhizome. Veronika fine requires nutritive soil, but in the absence of organic matter, constant moderate moisture and good lighting are needed (sunny places).
Veronica officinalis plant
This species has several advantages at once.- decorative and useful. A perennial plant with creeping stems that root in the nodes. Grows quickly - up to 20 cm per season, so you can use as a groundcover. The flowers are collected in small brushes, pale lilac shade. Flowering long from June to September. Mainly used as a leafy ornamental plant. Resistant to trampling, drought, frost, shade-tolerant, competitive. A high degree of growth should be considered when choosing a landing site. In folk medicine, Veronica officinalis is used mainly as an expectorant for bronchial asthma, bronchitis in the form of infusions, decoctions, tea.
Peculiarities of growing
Veronica - a plant (description - above), or rathera whole clan with numerous representatives, with unpretentious character. The only exceptions are some varieties. Care is absolutely simple. The plant is undemanding to the soil, the light factor, the neighborhood with other species. If you decide to grow it in your beds, then you should pay attention to a few highlights.
- When preparing the substrate for planting, pay attention to the variety that you plant, and depending on this, supplement it with necessary components, for example, for hair and gravel - rubble.
- The high degree of drought tolerance does not mean that there is no need to water. On the contrary, most species prefer moderate moisture.
- Cut the faded inflorescences, so you keep the decorative look of the bush longer and, possibly, will achieve repeated flowering.
