Veronica repens Sunshine

Veronica repens Sunshine is a delightful form of creeping Veronica with golden foliage, native to the mountains of Southern Europe. This small ground cover perennial spreads out in a low carpet of tiny golden leaves in any soil that remains moist. This bright carpet will persist more or less depending on the severity of winter and come alive in late spring, with delicate white flowers. This robust and hardy Veronica is lovely in a flower pot, where it will cascade in golden curtains, and astonishing as a border plant or among the stones of a rock garden. Pair it with dark plants, with purple or black foliage.

Veronica repens is a creeping perennial plant from the Scrophulariaceae family. It is native to wet places in Spain and the Sierra Nevada in the U.S.A. It is also found in the high mountains of Corsica, always close to water. 'Sunshine' is an American cultivar loved for its strongly yellow-tinted foliage, especially when the plant is grown in full sun. It develops numerous slender branches that are initially prostrate and partially branching and form a carpet about 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4in) high. Each stem produces roots at the nodes, allowing the plant to cover an area over 40 to 50 cm (16 to 20in) at least in diameter and much more over time. The foliage is more or less evergreen, disappearing below -10°C (14°F) and consists of very small, opposite, ovate, entire, fuzzy, and dentate leaves. In May-June, the plant produces floral stems that are barely taller than the foliage with spikes of 3 to 6 small white flowers with 4 petals, for a short period.

Veronica repens Sunshine is naturally suited to rather wet rockeries, for example, not far from a pond or water. It also thrives as a border plant if the soil remains moist even in summer. It can also be used in containers and flower pots, to will cover the base of larger plants. It will look great with Rodgersia and silver candles with purple or chocolate foliage. The blue blooms of Brunnera or wood hyacinths will be beautifully enhanced by its golden foliage. All spring-flowering bulbs can be planted alongside and their blooms will emerge from the carpet which will later hide their dried foliage.