Hebe

Overview

Native to New Zealand and now classified within Veronica, hebes are sold everywhere under their old name. Some are grown for neat foliage, such as the whipcord types and the blue-grey 'Pewter Dome', while others, like 'Midsummer Beauty' and 'Great Orme', carry long lilac or pink spikes that bees adore. Many keep flowering well into autumn when little else is out.

Where to grow hebe

Hebes are at their best in coastal gardens, where salt winds and mild winters suit them. Inland, choose a sunny, sheltered bed with good drainage and stick to small-leaved varieties. Their low, rounded shapes work well along path edges, in gravel and in pots on a patio.

Planting

Plant in mid to late spring so roots settle before winter, or in early autumn in mild areas. Mix grit into heavy soil and avoid hollows where water sits. In containers, use a loam-based compost with extra grit.

Care through the year

Spring

Trim off any frost-browned tips once new growth starts and give a light feed.

Summer

Water pot-grown plants regularly; border plants need little once settled. Snip spent spikes.

Autumn

Keep enjoying late flowers and stop feeding so growth hardens before cold weather.

Winter

Move containers against a house wall during hard frosts, and brush heavy snow off the branches.

Pruning

Most hebes need only a light trim after flowering or in April to keep them dense. They resent being cut back into old, leafless wood, so prune little and often. Leggy old plants are often better replaced than rescued.

Propagation

Semi-ripe cuttings taken in late summer root easily. Use 8–10 cm shoots without flowers, push them into gritty compost and keep them in a cold frame over winter. It is worth keeping a few young plants as insurance against a harsh winter.

Common problems

Wet roots in winter are the biggest killer, leading to root rot and sudden collapse. Downy mildew and leaf spot can mark foliage in damp, still air, so give plants space. Cold, drying winds may scorch the leaves of tender types.

Guides to the problems most likely to affect hebe:

• Downy mildew

Something else wrong? Diagnose it by symptom.

Month-by-month reminders

Jobs for this plant come round in April, May and September. Each month page lists everything else worth doing in the garden at the same time.

Related plants

• English lavender
• Escallonia
• Kohuhu

Sources

Botanical names follow Kew's Plants of the World Online; growing attributes were checked against the references below. Text is our own. See our editorial policy.

• Kew Plants of the World Online — Hebe
• Wikipedia — Hebe (plant)