Biological information:

• Common name: Speedwell
• Scientific name: Veronica Filiformis
• Family or class: Plantaginaceae

Symptoms and/or signs to watch out for:

• Low growing plant
• Bright blue stemmed flowers
• Early in the year (March to May)
• Small scalloped leaves

Life cycle:

• Perennial herb.
• Reproduces by asexually by resprouting from separated sections of stem and rhizome.

Mode of reproduction:

• Reproduces asexually by resprouting from separated sections of stem and rhizome
• Rarely seeds

Vectors for the pest:

• Easily spread by pieces of plant being chopped up and left out during mowing

Overwintering habit:

• Can grow in fields, lawns, and roadsides, in most soil conditions.

Alternate hosts:

• Fungi
  • Alternaria linicola
  • Beet Western Yellows luteovuris
  • Verticillium dahilae
• Aphids
  • Melon Aphid

Horticultural production information:

Preventative strategies:

• Stem sections sometimes scattered with mowers
• Lawn clippings in compost will spread the weed if it is not completely decomposed
• Nesting birds can spread the weed

Threshold levels:

• low

Control options:

Physical controls:

• Does not grow well in shade and establishment of a dense crop population is an effective method of reducing population densities (Fitter and Ashmore)

Biological controls:

• None

Chemical controls:

• Broadleaf Herbicides

 

Historical notes from Farm to YoU NH:

Date/circumstances observed (Pictures)

Control method used, efficacy of control method

• manual removal