This species was grown in Britain in 1775. It was not recorded from the wild until 1933, and has only ever been known at a few sites. Numbers in individual populations can fluctuate greatly, and it is vulnerable to herbicides. It is less common in Breckland than at the time of the 1962 Atlas, although it has been successfully introduced to new sites.
An annual found naturalised on free-draining sandy soils, usually where there is regular disturbance. Habitats include the edges of arable fields, on tracks, sandy banks, and open rough grassland. Lowland.
How to get rid of:
Use the gel (Roundup Gel) or ready-to-use spray (e.g Roundup Fast Action Ready-to-Use, SBM Job done General Purpose Weedkiller, Doff Glyphosate Weedkiller Ready-to-Use) on patches of speedwell. Leave the weed for three to four weeks for the weedkiller to take effect, before removing dead foliage.
