Siberian veronica

Family: Norychnikovye. The species, first described by C. Linnaeus as Veronica sibirica, was later placed in the genus Veronicastrum (Veronicastram), and is now assigned to the genus Leptandra (Leptandra) with the same specific name.

Siberian veronica is a tall, slender plant (40-150 cm high) with sturdy unbranched stems. The rather large, oblong-lanceolate leaves are arranged in whorls of 3-9. Small blue flowers are gathered into long terminal spike-like inflorescences (up to 30 cm long), solitary (sometimes there may be several). The calyx is five-parted. The corolla has a long tube and limb; the petals are blue but may be pink or white.

Siberian veronica occurs in the wild only in Eastern Siberia and the Far East, growing in forests and meadows. Undoubtedly, this ornamental plant has long been noted and introduced into cultivation. It is grown in gardens and parks, in open areas. During flowering a clump of Siberian veronica has a healthy, vigorous appearance; the plants "stand like a wall", attracting numerous bees and bumblebees. It requires almost no care; propagation is by division of the clump.