Sirhowy Hill Woodlands

Scientific name: Veronica chamaedrys

Germander Speedwell

Considered a good luck charm for travellers, the bright blue flowers of Germander Speedwell are meant to ‘speed’ you on your way. This reputation may well have come about because of its habit of forming large clumps in hedgerows, roadside verges and grassy lanes; it can also be found on grasslands and in open woodlands. The flowers appear from April to June.

“Veronica chamaedrys kz04” by Krzysztof Ziarnek & Kenraiz, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0.

How to identify?

Germander Speedwell is one of a number of different speedwells, but can be distinguished by its upright spikes of bright blue flowers with four petals and a white middle (giving it other common names such as ‘Bird’s Eye’ and ‘Cat’s Eye’). It has two rows of long white hairs on opposite sites of its stems, unlike the rarer Wood Speedwell, which is hairy all round the stem.

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Scientific Name

Veronica chamaedrys

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