Speedwell (Veronica 'White Jolanda')
Veronica 'White Jolanda' Speedwell offers dense spikes of pure white summer flowers over neat green foliage. Hardy perennial needing full sun.
Scroll down to discover growing tips, care requirements, companion plants, and more
Complete Plant Information
Overview
Veronica ‘White Jolanda’ is a highly valued herbaceous perennial that brings reliable vertical interest to summer borders. This cultivar of Speedwell typically forms neat clumps, rising to 1.5 to 2 feet high, capped by striking vertical spikes of pure white flowers. Gardeners appreciate Veronica ‘White Jolanda’ for its relatively low maintenance needs coupled with a long blooming window spanning from June through August.
The density of the bloom spikes on Veronica ‘White Jolanda’ creates a significant visual impact, brightening up sunny landscape positions. As a clump-forming plant, it maintains good structure throughout the season, provided it receives consistent moisture. This Speedwell variety is an excellent choice for adding texture and clean white contrast within mixed perennial plantings.
This selection offers dependable performance in USDA Zones 4 through 8. Ensure location grants full sun exposure for the best habit and flowering, though it will tolerate light shade. Veronica ‘White Jolanda’ is a robust choice for gardeners seeking high impact with minimal fuss, ensuring its popularity in contemporary garden designs.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Plantaginaceae
- Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 4-8
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 1.5-2 ft
- Spread: 1-1.5 ft
- Bloom Time: June to August
- Bloom Description: White
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Low
How to Grow
The best success with Veronica ‘White Jolanda’ begins with proper site selection and planting. Plant in average, medium moisture, well-drained soil. While it thrives in full sun, this Speedwell can tolerate light shade, though flowering may be slightly reduced. Ensure the soil drainage is sharp, as poor drainage, especially during winter, can lead to root rot issues.
Water consistently, aiming for medium moisture levels, particularly during establishment and hot, dry summer spells. Applying an organic mulch around the base of the plants helps regulate soil temperature and conserve this required moisture. Beyond consistent watering, maintenance is very low.
To encourage repeat blooming and maintain a tidy appearance, promptly remove spent flower spikes (deadheading). If the plant becomes leggy or tired looking after the main flush of blooms, you may cut the foliage back hard to basal growth. This simple pruning step revitalizes the appearance of the Veronica ‘White Jolanda’ patch for the remainder of the season.
Landscape Uses
Veronica ‘White Jolanda’ excels as a vertical accent near the front or middle sections of perennial borders due to its height of up to two feet. Its tight, upright habit makes it a superb edging plant along pathways or defining the transition between lawn and flower bed areas. Grouping or massing several plants together maximizes the striking effect of the dense white flower spikes.
This Speedwell variety is versatile enough for use in structured foundation plantings where a medium, tidy perennial is required. Furthermore, it performs very well in containers, adding vertical punctuation among trailing or mounding annuals and perennials. When planning companions, look for plants that appreciate similar sun exposure and medium water needs.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
Noteworthy Characteristics
Veronica is a genus of about 250 species of annuals, perennials and some sub-shrubs mainly from Europe. ‘White Jolanda’ is clump-forming veronica which typically grows to 18-24” tall with dense, vertical terminal spikes of tiny, pure white flowers towering above the serrate green leaves in summer. The genus name honors Saint Veronica, with some plants bearing markings resembling those on her sacred handkerchief.
Tolerances
- Rabbit
- Deer
Potential Problems
Veronica ‘White Jolanda’ is largely celebrated for its resistance to serious insect or disease problems, making it a reliable backbone plant. The primary concern arises from improper soil conditions; root rot is a common issue if the soil retains too much moisture or drains poorly, especially over winter dormancy. Fortunately, deer and rabbits tend to avoid this type of Speedwell foliage. To prevent root rot, amend heavy soils heavily with organic matter prior to planting or select a raised bed location.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Speedwell (Veronica ‘White Jolanda’) suitable for?
Veronica ‘White Jolanda’ is hardy in USDA Zones 4 through 8.
How large does Speedwell (Veronica ‘White Jolanda’) grow?
This Speedwell typically reaches a height between 1.5 and 2 feet tall, spreading 1 to 1.5 feet wide.
What sun exposure does Veronica ‘White Jolanda’ need?
For optimal performance and the densest flower spikes, Veronica ‘White Jolanda’ requires a location receiving full sun.
When does Speedwell bloom?
This perennial blooms reliably throughout the summer, specifically from June to August, presenting beautiful white flowers.
Conclusion
The clean, vertical white bloom structure of Veronica ‘White Jolanda’ provides essential contrast and reliability in sunny perennial gardens. As a low-maintenance choice that resists common pests, this Speedwell variety earns its place in borders and mass plantings. Ensure your site offers sharp drainage and plan to deadhead spent spikes for the longest season of enjoyment from your Veronica ‘White Jolanda’.
Companion Planting
Selecting appropriate companions enhances the beauty and cultural suitability of Veronica ‘White Jolanda’. Since it prefers full day sun and medium, consistent moisture, pair it with other sun-loving plants that share these needs, such as Russian Sage (Perovskia), Coneflowers ($Echinacea$), or ornamental grasses. Plants with contrasting textures or colors, like silvery foliage or rounded forms, work well next to the upright spikes of this Speedwell.
For instance, interplanting Veronica ‘White Jolanda’ with shorter, mounding plants like Lamb’s Ears ($Stachys$) or creeping Thyme will accentuate its height. This creates depth in a border arrangement. Avoid planting near moisture-hungry plants or those that prefer deep shade, as cultural mismatches will lead to decline for at least one of the species involved.
Seasonal Care Calendar
Spring cleanup involves integrating compost or a light layer of organic mulch around the base of the Veronica ‘White Jolanda’ once new growth begins to emerge. This helps regulate the moisture essential for healthy summer development. Throughout summer, actively deadhead faded flower stalks to promote a continued display of white blooms from your Speedwell.
In late summer or early fall, if the plant looks untidy after its first major bloom, cutting the stems back by two-thirds or shearing them back to basal foliage can encourage fresh, attractive growth before winter dormancy sets in. Overwintering is generally straightforward in Zones 4-8, provided the soil drainage remains good through wet winter periods.
