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The Daily Insight

How do I get rid of Persian speedwell

Author

Andrew White

Published Mar 06, 2026

Careful hand pulling is the most effective way to eradicate this wildflower from your lawn. Hand pulling: Rake over the area around each speedwell plant to pull up the runners and roots, making it easier to remove them completely.

How do you kill a Persian speedwell?

Drive wooden stakes through the plastic sheeting with a hammer. The stakes will prevent the sheeting from moving or being blown away by wind. The plastic sheeting will absorb and trap heat from sunlight, solarizing the soil and killing the Persian speedwell and other plants.

How does speedwell spread?

Spiked speedwell is rarely grown from seeds. But it can be sown directly in the garden in spring through mid-summer. Germination can take two or three weeks. These plants sometimes spread by self-seeding in the garden.

What spray kills speedwell?

The herbicides tolerated by creeping speedwell include clopyralid, dicamba, picloram, MCPA and 2,4-D. The best way of controlling creeping speedwell is to apply a mecoprop/ioxynil mixture, which is available as Image.

Is creeping speedwell invasive?

Creeping speedwell are invasive perennials that spread from the rhizomes, which grow just 1 to 2 inches below the soil surface. Plant on average sprouts 4–6 inches tall and usually forms dense blooming patches.

What does speedwell look like?

Veronica, also called Speedwell, is a carefree and easy-to-grow perennial with long spikes of small petals in purple, blue, pink, or white. … There is also a bushy ground cover variety (Veronica prostrata), which features dense clusters of flowers and grows to only about 10 inches tall.

What chemical kills speedwell in lawns?

Fluroxypyr has been proven to be the most effective chemical in controlling speedwell.

Can speedwell be divided?

Perennials with fibrous or loose root systems are the easiest kind to divide. … Dayliliy roots are a little tougher to pull apart but can be cut with a sharp knife. Bee balm and spike speedwell are also easy to divide with a knife.

Is speedwell a ground cover?

Featuring white and blue flowers, creeping speedwell or Veronica filiformis is a low-growing perennial if you’re looking for an easy-to-maintain ground cover option. Forming a dense mat on lawns, this low-growing plant remains evergreen and blooms from April to July.

How fast does creeping speedwell spread?

Speedwell is a creeping perennial weed that will quickly take over a lawn in just a few years if left to do so. There are over 95 varieties of this weed with about a dozen that occur regularly within home turf; Creeping or Veronica Speedwell being the most prominent in our service area.

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What is speedwell good for?

Speedwell is commonly used to treat coughs and other respiratory diseases. It is also appropriate for inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and rheumatism, digestive problems like diarrhea, and a gargle to treat sore throat.

How do I get rid of corn speedwell in my lawn?

Management and control. Prevalence of corn speedwell can be reduced by increasing turf density through nitrogen fertilization, regular mowing, and the use of turfgrasses well-adapted to site conditions. This weed can be suppressed or controlled with various preemergence and postemergence herbicides.

How do I get rid of blue flowers in my lawn?

For the most effective results, use a broadleaf killer. A broadleaf killer will eliminate these invasive plants without doing damage to your lawn. For instance, you can use Dicamba or a killer that contains 2,4-D to kill the the flowers selectively without resulting in any damage to the surrounding turf itself.

Is speedwell Veronica invasive?

Deadhead the flowers and cut back faded flower stems after the first bloom to prolong its bloom time. Shear the foliage if it becomes worn-looking after flowering. This perennial spreads by a creeping rootstock, but is not invasive.

Is Speedwell a perennial?

Veronica (Speedwell) is a low-care and easy-to-grow perennial with long spikes of tiny flowers in shades of purple, blue, pink, or white from spring to fall.

Can Speedwell grow in shade?

Veronica speedwell thrives in conditions as wide ranging as full sun to partial shade and in loamy, sandy, or clay-dense soils. However, it does prefer a sunny location with well-draining soil.

Is creeping thyme invasive?

Though it creeps and grows fast, we can be confident to conclude that creeping thyme is not invasive. It is only a fast grower with a beautiful view and soft leaves to walk on.

Do you cut back speedwell?

Cut tall varieties of speedwell back to about 6 inches in height if the plants look tired and leggy in midsummer. Pruning in autumn is best if you prefer a tidy wintertime garden; however, leaving the plants intact until spring adds interest to the garden and provides seeds for songbirds.

Will Veronica rebloom if deadheaded?

Deadheading Salvia will promote a long bloom period. Veronica (speedwell) should have the spent flower spike cut back to side branches. Once they are finished flowering, cut the stems down to the ground, which may produce a small rebloom later.

What do Veronica flowers symbolize?

The meaning and symbolism of Veronica flower is loyalty. In a single-flower bouquet, it represents your devotion to the person or even fidelity in marriage. … As you can see, Veronica flower is often used as a complementary piece to create a delicate yet vibrant composition.

Is speedwell a herb?

Veronica chamaedrys is an herbaceous, flowering perennial native to Europe and Asia. For centuries, speedwell herb has been used in traditional European herbalism for its beneficial properties and was once extremely popular steeped as tea. …

Do butterflies like speedwell?

only about 2 or 3 feet tall with stiff, strong stems. Deer and drought resistant. Purpleicious’ Vernonica (also called Speedwell) brings intense violet color to the summer garden on fragrant, tapered spikes. Attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds, ‘Purpleiciou…

Are speedwell flowers edible?

American Speedwell is a perennial plant native to most of North America, save a few of the south eastern states. This lovely groundcover has tiny periwinkle colored flowers and edible greens.

What herbicide kills corn speedwell?

Weed B Gon works best on speedwell when the plants are young and actively growing. The best time to spray is in spring. Spray on a dry, sunny day when the temperature is above 45 degrees Fahrenheit, but below 90 degrees Fahrenheit. As long as you apply the weed killer an hour before rain, the rain won’t wash it away.

What causes corn speedwell?

Corn Speedwell (Veronica arvensis) Small flowers of white to blue in the leaf axis. What causes it?: Loves thin grass and dry soil. … Best treatment plan: Keeping your lawn turf thick and nourished. Hand-pulling, and post-emergent herbicide are also effective.

Are violets invasive?

While pretty, these iconic wild violets are also an aggressive and invasive weed. They’ve been known to take over yards and flower beds with no concern for whatever landscaping plans the homeowner originally had in mind. … Despite their delicate floral appearance, wild violets are one of the trickiest weeds to control.

How do you dig out violets?

  1. Use a spade or digging fork and start digging toward the flower from about 1 foot (30 cm) away from the visible center of the plant. This loosens the soil around the plant.
  2. When you can get beneath the weed, use your digging tool to lift the weed from underneath.

Why are there so many violets in my yard?

Violets establish well in shady, moist areas where turf is not vigorous and cannot out-compete violets and other weeds. … Violets can also be a sign of thinning lawns overall, and can establish where lawns are mowed too short , competing with that lawns’ chances of growing thick and vigorous once more.