Silver Speedwell is a silvery-foliaged subspecies of spike speedwell that brings an ethereal quality to summer gardens with tiny star-shaped violet-blue flowers packed into dense, tapered spikes. Native to northern Europe and Asia, this upright, clump-forming perennial rises 12 to 24 inches tall and blooms from June through August, creating a summer-long display of color above narrow, toothed foliage. Hardy in zones 4 through 8 and remarkably low-maintenance, it thrives in full sun with moderate water and shallow-rooted resilience, making it a sculptural addition to rock gardens, borders, and drought-conscious landscapes.
Full Sun
Moderate
4-8
24in H x 12in W
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Moderate
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The silvery foliage of 'Pure Silver' distinguishes it from its green-leafed relatives, creating a luminous contrast when violet-blue flower spikes emerge in early summer. Deer and rabbits leave it untouched, giving it genuine value in wildlife-pressure gardens. Its shallow root system and intolerance of wet feet make it a natural choice for well-drained soils and rocky slopes where many perennials struggle, and deadheading spent spikes coaxes additional blooms throughout the season.
Silver Speedwell serves as a striking ornamental perennial in mixed borders, rock gardens, and alpine troughs, where its silvery foliage and violet-blue spikes create textural contrast and year-round visual interest. Its low stature and compact form make it suited to edging along pathways and front-of-border placement, while its deer and rabbit resistance earns it a place in gardens where wildlife pressure demands reliable, unpalatable plants.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Remove spent flower spikes throughout the growing season to encourage additional bloom. After flowering concludes in late summer or early fall, cut plants back to basal growth to maintain compact form and prepare for the next growing season.
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“Veronica spicata subsp. incana has its roots in the cool climates of northern Europe and Asia, where the species evolved as an upright, clump-forming perennial suited to alpine and rocky terrain. The 'Pure Silver' cultivar represents modern selection within this subspecies, bred to enhance the silvery-gray foliage that gives the plant its common name and distinctive garden presence. This subspecies has been refined through cultivation over decades to reliably produce the compact, free-flowering form gardeners know today.”