This lovely little blue flower grows just about everywhere in the woods and hills near my home, particularly anywhere that has lots of grass (like verges and fields).
Although I often find specimens on their own, they also seem to like company, appearing in big masses of blue/violet flowers under the hedges and in grassland.
Traditionally, the Speedwell was considered a good luck charm, meant to “speed you on your way” as it was often found on well-travelled routes in the grass verges at the sides of the road.
Herbal Uses
The leaves of the flowering plant used to be dried and infused as a tea to relieve chesty coughs, possibly stomach ulcers and the juice can be used as an astringent to treat itchy skin and smallpox, although I’d like to hope the latter remains eradicated. Apparently the tea has quite a bitter taste due to naturally occurring tannins and is best taken with honey.
You can read more about it in A Modern Herbal.
As I have an unpleasant cold at the moment, I might try making some speedwell tea and see if it helps to clear my chest!
The drawing
I drew this one on A4 copier paper with a Lamy Al-star (Bronze) fitted with a fine nib. The ink is Diamine’s Dark Forest.