Veronica catenata aka Pennell's Speedwell

Veronica catenata is known as pink water speedwell. It belongs to the plantain family, Plantaginaceae. Its native range spans southern Canada and the United States. It also includes the Azores, Europe, the Caucasus, and North Africa. The RHS records it as native to Britain and Ireland. Kew places it in temperate regions. Kew describes its life cycle as annual or perennial. Plants For A Future describes it as perennial.

This plant grows in wet places and shallow water. Its habitats include lime-rich springs, small streams, ditches, and shores. These wetland settings help explain its garden needs. Pond edges and bog gardens offer suitable planting sites. It needs an open spot, since it cannot grow in shade. It prefers cool summers and soil with moderate fertility. The supplied sources give no mature height or spread. They also give no species-level details of stems or leaves.

Soil texture need not limit where this plant grows. It accepts sandy soil, loam, and heavy clay. It grows in mildly acid, neutral, and alkaline soils. It can also cope with very alkaline ground. Moisture matters more than a narrow soil choice. Keep its soil wet, or grow it in shallow water. Plants For A Future calls it easy to grow under these conditions. The evidence gives no hardiness zone or winter temperature limit.

Each flower has both male and female organs. Insects pollinate the flowers, and the plant is self-fertile. The supplied evidence gives no flowering season or fruit details. Seed and division both provide ways to raise more plants. Sow seed in a cold frame in autumn. Move seedlings into separate pots once large enough to handle. Plant them out in summer. Seed can also go straight into the ground in spring or autumn. Divide plants during the growing season. Even small pieces can form roots when placed in water.

Plants For A Future lists the leaves as edible. They can be eaten raw or cooked. It gives their food value a low rating. It reports no known hazards, but this does not prove safety. The same source lists no known medicinal or other uses. It does not flag the species as weedy. The supplied evidence names no pests or diseases.