About Veronica L.
This plant belonging to the genus Veronica L. is a herbaceous perennial. It produces hairy green stems that are 10 to 50 cm (4 to 20 inches) long; these stems grow along the ground to form mats, and send up short vertical shoots that bear soft violet flowers. Its leaves measure 1.5–5 cm (0.6–2.0 in) in length and 1–3 cm (0.4–1.2 in) in width, and have a soft hairy texture. It flowers from May through August. This speedwell grows in open areas including fields, meadows, and gardens. It is sometimes grown there as an edible or medicinal herb. Speedwell has a slightly bitter, astringent taste and a tea-like scent. This led to its use as a tea substitute in 19th-century France, where it was called thé d'Europe, meaning "Europe tea". The French still use this term to refer to speedwell today.
