• Veronica comes in several habits but this tall spiring flower is a recognizable form.Nathan Blaney/Photodisc/Getty Images
  
  There are several types of veronica that either grow wild in California or are available for cultivation. The plant comes in either a mounding type, ground cover or the more common spikes of colored flowers. Flowers are either pink, white or blue. There are eight species of veronica that are native to California and grow wild as weeds.
  
  

Mat-Forming and Ground Covers

• Veronica are in the Scrophulariaceae family and are mainly known as speedwell. They are mostly weeds when found growing naturally in California. Veronica officinalis is the common speedwell and is a low-growing mat of blue flowers and tiny leaves. Water speedwell is an aquatic plant with invasive tendencies and tiny, bright blue flowers. Thyme-leafed speedwell or V. serpyllifolia is a matting type veronica with either white or blue flowers. As the name indicates, the leaves resemble thyme leaves.
  
  

Rhizome Veronica

• Some veronica spread by seed and have a vascular root system, while others primarily propagate by their ranging rhizomes. American Speedwell is a small-leaved veronica with periwinkle blue flowers that propagates via rhizomes. Veronica cuisikii is a rhizome plant with deep violet flowers carried erect on their stalks. It is common along mountain trails.
  
  

Tall Racemes

• Some of the compact veronica carry their flowers low in among the foliage. Other veronica, those with tall racemes, carry proud stalks of flowers high over the leaves and stems of the plant body. Veronica wormskjoldii or American Alpine speedwell is a small plant with tall sky-blue frilled flowers. This plant is common in forests but more usually found in wetlands. Skullcap veronica or marsh speedwell does indeed grow in marshland. It has long sword-shaped leaves with very tiny pale blue flowers composed of four petals.