Corn Speedwell
Corn Speedwell (Veronica arvensis) is a hard-to-control weed that blossoms in winter annually. This plant is a beautiful sight to behold when it blossoms; with slender spine, deep-green leaves and purple flowers, you forget how terrible it can be to your lawn. Corn speedwell is a member of the Plantaginaceae family, but you can set it apart by its narrow alternate leaves and near sessile seed capsules and flowers. It has four petals and sepals in the flower. It grows in non-wetlands but at a times can be found in wetlands too.
Corn Speedwell grows wildly in meadows and fields but can also be cultivated on rocky grounds as they thrive on harsh conditions where there is no competition by other plants. Its ability to replicate is favoured by its dry fruits that split open allowing new seeds to take root. Its ability to easily replicate makes it a big threat to lawns. With little moisture the seeds easily take root and the endless growth cycle continues unperturbed.
Though it can get occasional bees visiting its flowers, it doesn’t rely on insects to reproduce as the flowers can self-fertilize. It is its high level of independence from fauna that makes it a hard to crash weed.
Uses
Corn Speedwell is a weed that most lawn keepers hate, but it also has some potent medicinal properties. Herbalists appraise it for its antiscorbutic and diuretic properties. It can hence be used in treatment of scurvy, skin infections, and ulcers. It is crushed and applied externally as a healing balm. It is also used as a blood purifier.
Generally, the genus Veronica weeds are used for varied medicinal purposes, but they are a common herb in different parts of the world and their application differ with communities.
Ornamental Plant
Though some people cultivate Corn Speedwell as an ornamental plant, it can get messy as it easily overtakes various grass species in lawns and landscape beds. For ornamental use, there are other less weedy species of the Veronica genus that can well serve the purpose without posing a threat to your lawn. These include; Germander speedwell, Persian Speedwell, and Creeping Speedwell.
Control
This weed is one of the toughest weeds to control when it has blossomed. It is therefore easy to control with pre-emergence herbicides in fall (its winter sprouts germinate in fall). If you miss this critical time, it becomes entirely impossible to use herbicides to control it. The best way would be to hand weed them out of your lawn. Also make sure to uproot them before the seeds begin to scatter in the lawn.
Another reason why it is advisable to remove the weeds by hand weeding is, most herbicides will harm the grass on the lawn too. Corn Speedwell is more resistant to herbicides than most ornamental grass species used on lawns.…