# corn speedwell (*Veronica arvensis*) Corn speedwell is a small, lovely plant with tiny blue flowers. It often grows in fields and gardens, making the world a little brighter with its pretty blooms. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 5 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![corn speedwell](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Veronica_arvensis_7998.JPG&width=800) Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Veronica_arvensis_7998.JPG) ## Appearance The corn speedwell has tiny, bright blue to violet-blue four-petaled flowers, often with a white eye, on hairy stems. Its small, slightly heart-shaped leaves are arranged alternately along the stem, often with reddish tints. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Lamiales - **Family:** Plantaginaceae - **Genus:** Veronica ## Interesting facts - Corn speedwell seeds can stay hidden in the soil for years, waiting! - It's sometimes called 'Bird's-eye' because its flowers resemble little eyes! - Its tiny flowers often only last for a single day! - This super tiny plant can be found on almost every continent! ## Special abilities - **Speedy Sprouter:** Corn speedwell can sprout super fast, helping it grab space and sunlight before other plants can grow big. - **Seed Launcher:** Corn speedwell has seed pods that burst open, flinging seeds far away to find new places to grow. - **Early Bloomer:** Corn speedwell can flower very early in spring, giving it a head start on attracting early pollinators. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 5-30 cm - **Spread:** 5-20 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.4 cm - **Bloom Season:** Early spring to summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen from its tiny flowers - **Pollinates:** buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — visits early spring blooms for vital food source - **Eaten by:** [European rabbit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-rabbit) (*Oryctolagus cuniculus*) — grazes on its leaves and tender stems - **Eaten by:** [European goldfinch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-goldfinch) (*Carduelis carduelis*) — eats tiny seeds from spent flower heads ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't pick plants unless an adult says it's okay. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify corn speedwell? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is corn speedwell? 5-30 cm ### How wide does corn speedwell spread? 5-20 cm ### How big are the flowers on corn speedwell? 0.2-0.4 cm ### When does corn speedwell bloom? Early spring to summer ### Is corn speedwell edible? Yes ### Is corn speedwell toxic? None ### What is corn speedwell's lifecycle? Annual ## Where to spot - [Bellevue Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bellevue-avenue-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Brooklyn Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brooklyn-botanic-garden) — New York, US · Botanical Garden - [Clinton Hill Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/clinton-hill-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District - [Bellport Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bellport-village-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District - [Bryn Athyn Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bryn-athyn-historic-district) — Pennsylvania, US · Historic District - [Wildpark Bruderhaus](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/wildpark-bruderhaus) — Zurich, CH · Zoo [View all places to see corn speedwell](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/corn-speedwell) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Corn Speedwell: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/corn-speedwell)