Herb: Water Speedwell


Latin name: Veronica anagallis-aquatica


Family: Scrophulariaceae (Figwort Family)



Medicinal use of Water Speedwell:

The root and the leaves are alterative, appetizer and diuretic. The leaves are used in the treatment of scurvy, impurity of the blood etc. The plant is bruised and applied externally as a poultice on burns, ulcers, whitlows, etc.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
30 cm
(11 3/4 inch)

Flowering:
June to
August

Habitat of the herb:

Marshes, ditches, wet meadows, ponds and streams, avoiding acid conditions.

Edible parts of Water Speedwell:

Leaves - raw or cooked. Rich in vitamin C. A subtle flavour, the leaves can be added to salads or used as a potherb. When used in salads they go better with a lemon dressing than vinegar. The leaves are often available in winter.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - sow autumn in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. If you have sufficient seed it can be grown in situ in the autumn or spring. Division in autumn or spring. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the summer or the following spring. Cuttings of young shoots root easily in the growing season, merely put them in water.

Cultivation of Water Speedwell:

Marshes, ditches, wet meadows, ponds and streams, avoiding acid conditions.

Known hazards of Veronica anagallis-aquatica:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.