Veronica longifolia Lila Karina

Veronica longifolia Lila Karine, also known as Long-leaved Lila Karine Speedwell, is an elegant and spectacular perennial. It forms clumps with upright stems, flooding the borders with long, flexible spikes adorned with small silver-blue mauve flowers that perfectly complement its ashy green foliage. This plant thrives in moist and well-drained soil and is ideal for sunny mixed borders.

Veronica longifolia is a herbaceous plant from the plantain family (Plantaginaceae), found in northern and central Europe and Asia. It can grow quite tall, forming clumps with erect stems that can reach over 1m (3ft) in the wild. Lila Karine reaches a height of 40-60cm (16-24in) and a width of 40cm (16in). Its leaves are often arranged in whorls of three or four, although they can also be opposite. They are narrow and lanceolate, with a short petiole, deeply toothed and silver-green. The flowering period is June-July with dense clusters of flowers in long, slender, flexible spikes. The tiny pale blue-silver to mauve flat flowers have four petals and two protruding stamens. The nectar-rich flowers are followed by heart-shaped capsule fruits.

This very hardy speedwell is easy to grow and complements a variety of plants to create stunning summer compositions, especially along the banks of a pond. Plant it alongside Joe-Pye weed, sneezeweed, Lythrum salicaria, Filipendula rubra 'Venusta', and marsh spurge. In a wilder setting or as a backdrop in a border, this elegant perennial looks fantastic with tall grasses like Miscanthus, Panicum, and Stipa...