Planting Guide: American Speedwell (Veronica americana)
Tip: Give it wet ground or a pond margin in sun to part shade and it fills in fast as an edible, watercress-like groundcover — harvest young and from clean water only.
When Your Plant Arrives
Open the box promptly. Your plant travels dormant — no leaves and no soil — which is normal and the healthiest way for it to ship. Keep the roots moist and cool, and unwrap them only when you’re ready to plant. Aim to get it into the ground or a pot within a day or two; if you can’t, tuck the roots into damp soil, sawdust, or a bucket of moist material and hold it somewhere cool and out of frost. Don’t let the roots dry out or sit in standing water. If anything looks amiss, please contact customer service within 7 days of delivery and we’ll make it right.
Choosing a Site
Light: Full sun to part shade.
Soil & water: Wet, rich ground to shallow water.
Space: 12 in apart; it creeps and roots as it goes.
Planting Steps
Plant plugs in spring into wet soil or a pond edge. Set at the depth they grew, firm, and keep wet.
Watering & Care
Establishment: Keep wet.
After establishment: Vigorous in wet ground; self-sows and spreads.
Maintenance: Trim to keep it tidy.
Protection
Wildlife: Flowers feed small pollinators; cover at the water’s edge.
Water quality: Harvest greens only from clean, unpolluted water.
Harvest Basics
Season: Young leaves and stems in spring and early summer.
Safety: Like watercress, eat it only from clean water — plants from still or contaminated water can carry parasites, so when in doubt, cook it.
Use: A fresh, watercress-like green — raw in salads and sandwiches, or briefly cooked.
