Veronica peregrina

Purslane Speedwell, necklace weed, neckweed, American speedwell, wandering speedwell

Description: summer annual

Place of origin: North and South America

Urban habitat: commonly found compacted soil, pavement openings, in drainage ditches, wet fields, moist waste dumps, near streams.

Ecological function: disturbance-adapted colonizer; food for wildlife.

History: Native to the Americas, Veronica peregrina is typically thought of as a weed and has become naturalized in many other parts of the world. The Navajo people used the plant as a disinfectant, to induce vomiting, as a ceremonial drug, and chewed on and blew the plant toward deer to bring good luck in hunting. In traditional Chinese medicine, the plant was consumed to assist in the healing of broken bones and other injuries.