Plants for Butterflies and Other Pollinators
Showing 205–208 of 211 results
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Veronica gentianoides Gentian speedwell Z. 4-9
Palest of true blue flowers
Palest of true blue flowers bloom on 18″ spikes in early summer.
Can not ship to: Illinois
Size: 18" x 18"
Care: full sun to part shade in moist well-drained soil
Native: eastern Europe
Wildlife Value: attracts butterflies
Awards: England's Royal Horticultural Society Award of Merit.According to Christian tradition, as Jesus carried the cross to Calvary a woman wiped his face with her handkerchief, leaving the imprint of Christ’s features, the vera iconica, meaning “the true likeness.” When the Catholic Church canonized the woman, the Church gave her the name Saint Veronica. Medieval gardeners named the plant after her due to a perceived likeness of the flower to her handkerchief. V. gentianoides was introduced to European garden cultivation in 1784. Grown in American gardens since 1850.
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Veronica liwanensis Turkish speedwell Z 4-8
Tiny true blue saucers smother the ground
Tiny true blue saucers smother the ground in May & June – groundcover, front of border or rock garden plant.
Size: 1” x 18” spreader over time
Care: sun to part shade in moist well-drained to well-drained soil
Native: NE Anatolia, Caucasus
Wildlife Value: attracts butterflies
Awards: 1997 Plant Select Winner.Collected before 1849.
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Veronica officinalis Common speedwell Z 3-7
Mat-forming perennial with spikes of blue flowers with darker blue stripes on the petals, May-August
Mat-forming perennial with spikes of blue flowers with darker blue stripes on the petals, May-August
Size: 4-12” x 6”
Care: sun in dry, well-drained soil
Native: Europe and Asia
Wildlife Value: attracts beesUsed in European traditional medicine as a cough remedy and tonic as well as a salve. Used for centuries as a cure-all medicinal as long ago as ancient Rome.
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Veronica spicata Speedwell Z 4-8
Blue spikes with a hint of lilac
Blue spikes with a hint of lilac, bloom from June through October, if deadheaded
Size: 24" x 18-24"
Care: Sun in moist well-drained to well-drained soil
Native: Hilly pastures in Europe and North Asia
Wildlife Value: attracts butterfliesAccording to Christian tradition, as Jesus carried the cross to Calvary a woman wiped his face with her handkerchief, leaving the imprint of Christ’s features, the vera iconica, meaning “the true likeness.” When the Catholic Church canonized the woman, the Church gave her the name Saint Veronica. Medieval gardeners named the plant after her due to a perceived likeness of the flower to her handkerchief. Veronicas have been in cultivation since at least Medieval times. Europeans made tea from V. spicata. In 1693 a symmetrical garden at Versailles used speedwell. V. spicata is a parent to many hybrid cultivars.
