Germander Speedwell

Veronica chamaedrys

General - Germander Speedwell is a perennial weed and although it can be a problem in luxury lawns it is usually confined to areas of longer grass such as utility lawns, hedgerows and woodlands.

It is larger and tougher than Slender Speedwell. Germander Speedwell is a creeping weed and can rapidly form a dense mat.

Leaves - The oval shaped leaf has jagged or toothed edges, bourn on short stems.

Flowers - Germander Speedwell has blue - purple flowers with white centers. The flowers are seen between the months of April and July.

Habitat - The weed can grow in most soil conditions, however it prefers wet soils.

Cultural Control - Hand weeding may be practical if the infestation is not too widespread. It is important to box of the clipping with this weed to prevent it spreading.

Encourage a healthy vigorous lawn with good lawn care practices.

Chemical Control - Germander Speedwell is a difficult weed to control with chemicals as it is resistant to most ingredients used in weed killers.

Choose a selective weed killer that contains fluroxypyr, a repeat application will be necessary, even then success may be limited. For the best results apply weed killers when the grass is actively growing.