Veronica 'Pink Candles'

Veronica 'Pink Candles': Bubblegum Pink Spikes in Miniature

'Pink Candles' is short, bright and totally lit. Vivid deep pink spikes glow at the front of the border like a candlelit dinner nobody else got invited to. TABLE FOR ONE, AND IT'S FABULOUS.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Veronica spicata 'Verspi', sold as Pink Candles
• Common Name: Spike Speedwell
• Height: 20–25 cm (8–10 in)
• Spread: 25–30 cm (10–12 in)
• Flowers: Vivid deep pink spikes
• Bloom Time: Early to late summer (June to August)
• Foliage: Narrow green leaves in a compact, upright clump
• Features: Dwarf and compact

Where to Plant: Use it for edging, along the front of a sunny border, in a rock garden or in containers. Plant it in drifts of five or more so the short spikes read from a distance.

Companion Plants: Use compact 'Pink Candles' at the front of a sunny or part-shade bed with scarlet geum, lavender daylilies and tall heliopsis. Geum 'Blazing Sunset' adds double scarlet flowers at 55 to 60 cm from May to July. Hemerocallis 'Entrapment' brings lavender-purple daylilies at 60 to 70 cm in July and August. Heliopsis 'Summer Nights' rises behind at 120 to 180 cm with golden-orange daisies. Miscanthus 'Little Zebra' stands behind at 90 to 120 cm with gold-banded blades.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun in average, well-drained soil. Avoid spots that stay wet in winter. Water regularly through its first season, then during long dry spells. Snip off faded spikes to keep it tidy and encourage more blooms through the summer. Skip heavy fertilizer, which only makes the spikes floppy. Lean, sunny conditions keep it compact and colourful. Cut it back in late fall or early spring. Divide in spring every few years if the clump gets crowded.

History: 'Verspi' was bred by Janus Verschoor and is sold as Pink Candles, a compact version of the older pink speedwell 'Red Fox'. It's a selection of Veronica spicata, a species native to dry, sunny grasslands from Europe into Asia.

Final Thoughts: Deer resistant and loved by hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. Line the edge of a bed. NO MATCHES. NO WAX DRIPS. NO EXCUSES.