Speedwell
Speedwell, Creeping Speedwell or Bird’s Eye Speedwell are perennials weeds that prefer moist, well drained soils.
Speedwell, Creeping Speedwell or Bird’s Eye Speedwell are perennials that prefer moist, well drained soils. Some Speedwell weeds like Veronica persica can have slender rhizomes up to 60 cm long.
Speedwell Weed Identification.
You can easily identify the Speedwells. Their leaves have an oval shape, and they have numerous small flowers in a range of colours spread out over their stems.
Birds-eye or Creeping Speedwell:
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Growth habit: This is a prostrate, low growing annual (sometimes it is a short-lived perennial) weed.
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Leaves: It has broadly ovate, coarsely toothed leaves. These have hairs on their upper and lower surfaces. The leaves are relatively large in comparison to other Speedwells.
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Flowers: The flowers are a bright sky-blue with a white centre. They are ~8 to 12 mm across and on stalks. This weed has the largest flowers of the four.
- How it spreads: It spreads by stolons and seeds. It grows into thick weed mats and then smothers turf.
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Habitat: It favours disturbed soils, and lawns.
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Control: Because it is a very small weed it easily escapes when you mow. It is tolerant of most turf herbicides.
Field, Corn or Wall Speedwell (Veronica arvensis).
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Growth habit: This is a small, upright Winter annual weed, that is usually <15 cm tall. This means that it germinates in the Autumn and flowers in the Spring.
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Leaves: Field Speedwell has hairy leaves. The lower ones are round/ovate, whilst the upper ones are narrower and clasp the stem.
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Flowers: Its flowers are tiny (~2–4 mm) and blue to lilac in colour. The flowers are so small that they are often hidden among the upper leaves. These small, blue flowers only open on bright days.
- How it spreads. This weed only spreads by seed.
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Habitat: It favours dry, sandy soils, and is often found along walls and paths. It is found in Canberra & The Southern Tablelands.


