American brooklime (Veronica americana) care guide

Group

Plants

Other names

American brooklime, American speedwell

Family

Plantaginaceae (plantain family)

Origin

Temperate and arctic North America and Asia

Water

freshwater

Maximum size

100 cm

Temperature

4–22°C

pH

6.5–8

Hardness

5–20 dGH

Care level

intermediate

Lighting

Medium to high light; full sun to part shade emersed

Care

Veronica americana (American brooklime) is a perennial of streams and wet bottomlands with smooth stems 10–100 cm long, short-stalked leaves 1.5–8 cm long and small violet flowers in spikes from the leaf joints. The leaves are edible and taste rather like watercress, though only plants from clean water should be eaten. It is a marginal plant that grows in shallow water and can be kept submerged for a while as a stem plant, but our sources say nothing about long-term aquarium use. It does best at a pond or stream edge or in a coldwater set-up, and poorly in tropical tanks. Water figures are our estimate, not from the sources. Sources: Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veronicaamericana); Wikipedia, List of freshwater aquarium plant species. Checked October 2026.

Breeding

Stem cuttings root easily in wet soil or shallow water; it also spreads by creeping stems that root at the nodes, and sets seed.

Compatibility and tank mates

Pond, bog and coldwater use. Soft leaves are eaten by goldfish and koi.

Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.