Horticulture/Veronica

Veronica is the largest genus in the flowering plant family ../Plantaginaceae/, with about 500 species; it was formerly classified in the family ../Scrophulariaceae/. Taxonomy for this genus is currently being reanalysed, with the genus Hebe and the related Australasian genera Derwentia, Detzneria, Chionohebe, Heliohebe, Leonohebe and Parahebe included by many botanists. Common names include speedwell, bird's eye, and gypsyweed.

The species are herbaceous annuals or perennials, and also shrubs or small trees if Hebe is included. Most of the species are from the temperate Northern Hemisphere, though with some species from the Southern Hemisphere; Hebe is mostly from New Zealand.

Description
Flowers are perfect, irregular, 4-5 parted. Ovary 2-celled. 2 showy stamens are a good ID characteristic for the genus. The foliage is opposite (but alternate near the flowers), simple, with dentate or entire margins. Fruits are dry capsules containing many small seeds. Roots are fibrous, and often adventitions on the stems.

Pests and diseases
../Powdery Mildew/ ../Leaf Spots/ ../Leaf Galls/ ../Root Rots/ ../Stem Rots/ ../Leaf Smuts/ ../Nematodes/ ../Scales/
 * ../Peronospora grisea/
 * ../Sphaerotheca humili/
 * Cercospora tortipes
 * Gloeosporium veronicae
 * Septoria veronicae
 * Sorosphaera veronicae
 * Synchytrium globosum
 * ../Fusarium/
 * ../Pellicularia filamentosa/
 * ../Phymatotrichum omnivorum/
 * ../Pellicularia rolfsii/
 * Entyloma veronicae
 * Root knot nematode: ../Meliodgyne incognita/

../Bugs/ ../Beetles/ ../Caterpillars/
 * Fourlined Plant Bug: ../Poecilocapsus lineatus/
 * Japanese Weevil: ../Pseudocneorhinus bifasciatus/
 * Checkerspot Butterfly: ../Euphydryas chalcedona/
 * Grizzled Skipper.