Veronica speciosa

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Veronica speciosa
Hebe speciosa 2.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Plantaginaceae
Genus: Veronica
Section: Veronica sect. Hebe
Species:
V. speciosa
Binomial name
Veronica speciosa
R.Cunn. ex A.Cunn [1]
Synonyms [1]
  • Hebe speciosa(R.Cunn. ex A.Cunn.) Andersen
  • Hebe imperialis(Bouch.) Cockayne
  • Veronica kermesinaLoudon

Veronica speciosa, synonym Hebe speciosa, is a species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae, [1] known by the common names New Zealand hebe, showy hebe, showy-speedwell, and the Maori names titirangi and napuka. Like most hebes, it is native to New Zealand but it can be found in other parts of the world where it is grown as an ornamental for its showy flowers.

Contents

Description

Full view of plant Hebe speciosa.jpg
Full view of plant

Veronica speciosa is a shrub reaching heights between one and two meters. Its evergreen leaves are dark green, shiny, and quite thick, usually measuring 2 to 5 centimeters long. The inflorescence is up to 8 centimeters long and densely packed with pale pink to bright magenta flowers. Each flower is just under a centimeter wide and has a short throat spreading into a four-lobed corolla. Two very long stamens protrude from the throat of each flower, giving the inflorescence a whiskery look. The fruit is a capsule containing flat, smooth seeds.

Cultivation

Its many cultivars and hybrids are very popular garden plants in area with suitably mild temperate climates. Many can even be grown outdoors in sheltered parts of southern Britain. They appeal because of their lush evergreen foliage, showy flowerheads, long blooming season and ease of cultivation.

Popular cultivars include the purple-flowered 'Alicia Amherst' and deep pink 'Simon Deleaux'. Hybrids includes cultivars of Veronica × andersonii (Veronica salicifolia × Veronica speciosa), especially the variegated 'Andersonii'; and Veronica × franciscana (Veronica elliptica × Veronica speciosa) cultivars such as 'Blue Gem' and 'Waireka'.

Veronica speciosa is included in the Tasmanian Fire Service's list of low flammability plants, indicating that it is suitable for growing within a building protection zone. [2]

Related Research Articles

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Veronica sect. Hebe is a group of plants within the genus Veronica, native to New Zealand, Rapa in French Polynesia, the Falkland Islands and South America. It was formerly treated as the separate genus Hebe. It includes about 90 species. Almost all species occur in New Zealand, apart from Veronica rapensis and Veronica salicifolia, found in South America. It is named after the Greek goddess of youth, Hebe. Informally, species in the section may be called shrubby veronicas or hebes.

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<i>Chaenomeles</i> Species of shrub

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<i>Chaenomeles speciosa</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Hylotelephium spectabile</i> Species of succulent

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<i>Aubrieta deltoidea</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Phlox speciosa</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Veronica odora</i> Species of flowering plant

Veronica odora, known as the boxwood hebe, mountain-box, Hebe odora or Hebe buxifolia, is a plant in the family Plantaginaceae, and it is native to New Zealand. Veronica odora was discovered on the Auckland Islands by J.D Hooker in 1840. A certain amount of confusion later arose following its collection on mainland New Zealand by Ernst Dieffenbach and its naming as Veronica buxifolia by George Bentham. Even overseas, Veronica odora is still not infrequently known as Veronica buxifolia.

<i>Veronica pimeleoides</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae

Veronica pimeleoides, synonym Hebe pimeleoides, is a flowering plant of the family Plantaginaceae. It is endemic to the dry mountains of Marlborough and Canterbury, in South Island of New Zealand. It is a low-growing, evergreen shrub, reaching 60 cm in height, with grey-green, spear-shaped leaves that are 7–10 mm long. Flowers are pale lilac.

<i>Veronica salicifolia</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae

Veronica salicifolia, synonym Hebe salicifolia, the koromiko, or willow-leaf hebe, is a flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae, which is found throughout the South Island of New Zealand and in Chile. It is a large, evergreen shrub, reaching 2 m in height, with light-green, spear-shaped leaves that are up to 12 cm long, and white or pale lilac flowers.

<i>Watsonia meriana</i> Species of flowering plant

Watsonia meriana is a species of flowering plant in the family Iridaceae known by the common name bulbil bugle-lily. It is one of several Watsonia species known as wild watsonia. It is native to the Cape Provinces of South Africa, but it is well known as an ornamental plant grown in gardens for its showy spikes of flowers, and is an invasive species in areas where it has escaped cultivation.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Veronica speciosa R.Cunn. ex A.Cunn." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  2. Chladil and Sheridan, Mark and Jennifer. "Fire retardant garden plants for the urban fringe and rural areas" (PDF). www.fire.tas.gov.au. Tasmanian Fire Research Fund.