Corn Speedwell
Veronica arvensis
Corn Speedwell (Veronica arvensis) is a small introduced annual from Eurasia and North Africa, with tiny deep blue, four-lobed flowers, often with a pale center, among hairy, toothed leaves. It grows in lawns, fields, gardens and other disturbed ground, and in nearby Minnesota it blooms May into September. Photographed in the Black Hills.
| Family | Plantaginaceae · Plantain |
|---|---|
| Status | Introduced annual |
| Blooms | May into September |
| Height | 5–30 cm (2–12 in) |
| Where | Lawns, roadsides, fields, gardens and other disturbed ground |
| Also called | Wall Speedwell |
Roots, seeds & germination
Root: A slender, heavily branched taproot.
Seed: A flat, heart-shaped capsule about 3 mm long and wide holds many tiny, oval, golden seeds.
How do you identify Corn Speedwell?
Flowers are only about ⅛ inch across, on very short stalks or nearly stalkless, set in the leaf joints near the stem tips. Lower leaves are oval, hairy and short-stalked with rounded teeth; upper leaves are narrow, stalkless and alternate. The fruit is a flat, heart-shaped capsule fringed with hairs. American Speedwell has hairless leaves and larger flowers in stalked clusters, and grows in wet places. Forget-me-not has five lobes.
When does it bloom?
May into September.
Where does it grow?
Part shade to sun on disturbed soil: lawns, roadsides, waste areas, gardens and fields. Its small size makes it easy to overlook.
Other flowers to compare
Sources: Minnesota Wildflowers: Veronica arvensis (Corn Speedwell); Iowa State University Extension, Integrated Crop Management: Corn speedwell; Illinois Wildflowers: Corn Speedwell; Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses: Corn speedwell.