# Grey Field-speedwell (*Veronica polita*) The Grey Field-speedwell is a small plant with pretty blue flowers. It often grows in fields and gardens, making them look beautiful and colorful. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Grey Field-speedwell](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Veronica_polita_eF.jpg&width=800) Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Veronica_polita_eF.jpg) ## Appearance The Grey Field-speedwell is a small, low-growing plant with creeping stems and soft, oval, greyish-green leaves. Its tiny, vivid blue-purple flowers have four petals, often with darker veins, and a white center, making it easily distinguishable. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Lamiales - **Family:** Plantaginaceae - **Genus:** Veronica ## Interesting facts - Each tiny seed has a special oil packet called an elaiosome that ants love to carry away! - Its name "speedwell" might come from how quickly its delicate petals fall off! - Sometimes, Grey Field-speedwell flowers only last for a single day before fading. - The plant's scientific name, Veronica, is thought to honor Saint Veronica from Christian tradition. ## Special abilities - **Seed Launcher:** Grey Field-speedwell can explosively launch its tiny seeds, helping them spread far from the parent plant for reproduction. - **Rooting Rebel:** Grey Field-speedwell has stems that can grow roots wherever they touch soil, helping it quickly spread and colonize new ground. - **Tough Traveler:** Grey Field-speedwell can grow in many harsh, disturbed places, like cracks or compacted soil, to survive almost anywhere. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 5-30 cm - **Spread:** 10-50 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** March to July - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen from flowers. - **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — Visits flowers for nectar, aiding pollination. - **Eaten by:** [Garden snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — Snails munch on its tender leaves and stems. - **Eaten by:** Green peach aphid (*Myzus persicae*) — Aphids suck sap from its stems and leaves. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [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. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [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. - [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always check with an adult before touching or picking plants. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Grey Field-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 Grey Field-speedwell? 5-30 cm ### How wide does Grey Field-speedwell spread? 10-50 cm ### How big are the flowers on Grey Field-speedwell? 0.5-1 cm ### When does Grey Field-speedwell bloom? March to July ### Is Grey Field-speedwell edible? Yes ### Is Grey Field-speedwell toxic? None ### What is Grey Field-speedwell's lifecycle? Annual ## Where to spot - [Bellefontaine Cemetery](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bellefontaine-cemetery) — Missouri, US · Botanical Garden - [Pennyrile State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pennyrile-state-forest) — Kentucky, US · Forest - [Rolling Hills Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rolling-hills-zoo) — Kansas, US · Zoo - [Lost River Cave](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lost-river-cave) — Kentucky, US · Natural Landmark - [Pittsfield Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pittsfield-historic-district) — Illinois, US · Historic District [View all places to see Grey Field-speedwell](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/grey-field-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: [Grey Field-speedwell: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/grey-field-speedwell)