Pronunciation: veh-RON-ih-kuh an-uh-GAL-iss ah-KWAT-ih-kuh
Slender clusters of blue-violet flowers rise above opposite, toothed leaves along streams and shallow water. Look for stalkless upper leaves and delicate blossoms marked with darker veins.
Blue-violet veins lead toward the pale center of each flower.
Family Plantaginaceae · plantain family
Genus Veronica
Habit Herbaceous wetland plant, often a short-lived perennial
Height About 4–40 inches
Bloom Late spring through summer, sometimes into early fall
Flowers Blue to lavender, four unequal lobes
Leaves Opposite and toothed; upper leaves stalkless
Habitat Stream margins, seeps, ditches and shallow water
Observation maps show reported sightings; they do not define the complete native range.
Flowers: small blue to lavender blossoms with darker veins, four unequal lobes and two stamens.
Leaves: opposite, toothed and oblong to lance-shaped. Upper leaves lack distinct stalks and often clasp the stem; lower leaves may have short stalks.
Flower clusters: elongated racemes arise from the upper leaf axils. Only a few flowers may be open at once.
Fruit: small, flattened capsules develop along the racemes, with pointed sepals remaining around them.
Look in sunny to partly shaded stream margins, seeps, wet ditches and shallow, slow-moving water. Plants may grow upright or branch and spread among other waterside vegetation. Flowering begins in late spring and can continue through summer into early fall.
Widely distributed across North America, including Wisconsin and Illinois. Kew and Native Plant Trust treat Blue Water-Speedwell as introduced; its native range extends across temperate Eurasia and parts of Africa and Asia. Some North American references differ in their treatment of its origin.
American Speedwell (Veronica americana): has distinct short stalks on its upper leaves, unlike the stalkless upper leaves of Blue Water-Speedwell.
Sessile Water Speedwell (Veronica catenata): also has stalkless upper leaves, but usually has smaller, pale or pinkish flowers and mature capsules broader than long.
Compare upper leaf attachments and mature fruit together; flower color alone is not a reliable distinction.
Each blossom has four spreading lobes and two stamens. Open flowers, buds and developing fruits occur at different positions along the flower cluster.
Photograph an upper leaf where it joins the stem, a complete flower cluster, and mature capsules from the side and front. Include a ruler beside a flower and fruit to document their size.
Explore more species in the guide, then practice recognizing wildflowers in the quiz.
