Georgia Blue Veronica

Host: Gary Bachman, Ornamental Horticulture Specialist

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Georgia Blue Veronica is a great edging plant for a Mississippi gardens and landscapes today on Southern Gardening.

Southern Gardening with Gary Bachman is produced by the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

Georgia Blue Veronica is a true four-season perineal. The flowers of Georgia Blue are a clear sapphire blue with a fresh white eye. The foliage is ever green and there are no serious insect pests. Georgia Blue grows to six inches tall with a spread of up to 24 inches.

It has a rambling growth head that makes it perfect for combination planting with late season daffodils or the blue and yellow flowers are perfect together. Or pair with rustic red and orange pansies in late spring with Georgia Blue scrambling in between. This plant grows and flowers best in full sun but tolerates some light shade.

Plant at the outside edges of your Hosta garden, this makes a good combination. With blue mouse ears or deep blue sea blue Hosta.

As the weather cools in the fall season, the tips of the foliage will take on a bronze red tint. Pairing with bronze beautia juga makes for an attractive combination.

Georgia Blue is a fairly low maintenance perineal. Always plant in moist weltering soil and after flowering, trim the edges back up to a third of the stems. This will keep the center full and the stems strong.

Never trim back before flowering because this will reduce the number of blue flowers. Propagation is easy as the stems will root as they touch the ground, and you can snip off from the main plant and relocate. Pruning after the first flower flush will encourage and repeat blooming. The encore may not be as showy but will continue to produce the lovely blue flowers after the annuals have given up in the late fall.

I am horticulturist, Gary Bachman with Southern Gardening.

Southern gardening with Gary Bachman is produced by the Mississippi State University Extension Service.