Use & Care NotesCompanion Plants
Purple Leia Speedwell: Columnar Height Without the Width
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Purple Leia spike speedwell grows like a narrow green pillar topped with rosy purple spires. At about 28 to 30 inches tall but only 18 to 20 inches wide, it adds height without taking up much ground, which makes it handy for narrow borders, small gardens and the middle of a busy bed.
Its slender spikes, packed with tiny florets, echo lavender's upright wands. Planted near lavender, it extends the season of spiky purple color.
Purple Leia at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Veronica 'Purple Leia' |
| Flowers | Rosy purple, on slender spikes about 4 to 10 inches long |
| Foliage | Green, lance-shaped, finely toothed, in pairs on stiff stems |
| Size | 28 to 30 inches tall, 18 to 20 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts mid-June, peaks mid-July, about five weeks |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 4 to 8 |
| Light | Full sun to part shade |
| Wildlife | Excellent for bees and butterflies; deer resistant |
Where a column helps
Most lavender beds are a sea of rounded mounds. A few vertical accents break that up. Purple Leia's narrow, upright habit lets you add those accents without crowding the lavender's airflow. Try it:
- Behind a row of compact English lavender, rising just above it.
- In a narrow bed along a fence or foundation, where wide plants would spill onto the path.
- In a cottage-style mix, as a rosy purple spire among rounded flowers.
Because speedwell likes a bit more moisture than lavender, put it at the outer edge of the bed or where a hose can reach it without soaking lavender crowns. Plan placements in the Companion Plant Planner.
Care through summer
- Soil: average and well drained, not dry for long.
- Deadheading: cut each spent spike back to the next set of side buds to keep new spikes coming.
- Heat: handles summer heat in full sun with steady moisture; in hot, dry spells, bloom slows and lower leaves may brown.
- Mildew: space plants for airflow to reduce powdery and downy mildew.
Fall and winter
Purple Leia is hardy in Michigan within its zones. Cut back spent stems in fall or early spring, and site it in well-drained soil so the crown does not rot over winter.
A cutting-garden favorite
Its long, straight spikes are good cut flowers and dry fairly well. A jar of Purple Leia with fresh lavender stems is about as summery as a kitchen table gets.
Plug tray or bare root
It is offered as a 72-cell plug tray for growers and larger plantings, and as a bare root plant for direct planting. See each product page for current availability.
Frequently asked questions
Will Purple Leia flop?
Its stems are stiff and upright, so it holds its column shape well in sun and average soil.
Does it need staking?
Usually not. Too much shade or very rich soil can make any speedwell lean, so keep it in sun.
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