With or without its flowers, this shrub is a showstopper.
Hebe(pronouncedHEE-bee) is a large genus of evergreen shrubs from New Zealand.
Dome-shaped, it boasts bold flower spikes in white, purple, and pink from summer to fall.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
If your location is at the lower end of the zone range,protect itfrom chilly winter winds.
Shelter it with a building or other plants.
Hebe comes in a range of sizes so ensure to pick a variety that fits your space.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Tall types also lend themselves to be grown as anevergreen hedge.
Hebe is suitable for container planting.
Dig a hole at least twice the size of the container the shrub comes in.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Place the plant in the hole and backfill it with original soil.
Mulch around the base to preserve soil moisture and suppress weeds.
Water immediately and keep the shrub well-watered until you see new growth.
Credit: Denny Schrock
If planting it in groups, space the plants about 3 feet apart.
Hebe Care Tips
Hebe is easy to cultivate and care for.
Light
Hebe needs 6 to 8 hours of sunlight each day.
Too much shade and it will become leggy and might cease blooming.
Soil and Water
Hebe requireswell-drained, sandy soilwith a pH between 7.0 and 8.5.
Despite itshardiness, it does best when the weather is warm and mild butlow in humidity.
Generally, the smaller the leaf, the better the cultivar or species can tolerate cold.
It will look bushier that way.
Potting and Repotting Hebe
Choose smaller varieties of hebe if you want to grow them incontainers.
Use a well-draining terra-cotta pot.
Hebe will need repotting every two years when it outgrows its container.
Pests and Problems
Pests that will feed on hebe include aphids and spider mites.
Rid your plants of them with horticultural oil or an organic insecticide.
How to Propagate Hebe
Hebes are best propagated from cuttings between mid and late summer.
Take a cutting of about 4 to 6 inches in length just below a leaf node.
Keep the pot in a warm place with bright light but out of direct sunlight.
Water the cutting regularly from the base.
After about four weeks, the cutting should start rooting.
The flowers are a lovely complement to the variegated green-and-white leaves.
Plants grow 2-3 feet tall and wide.
Zones 8-10
Variegated Hebe
The cultivarHebe speciosaVariegata has variegated gray-green leaves with creamy margins.
In early summer, it offers spikes of purple flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
It grows 5 to 6 feet tall.
‘Wiri Blush’ forms an excellent compact hedge.
It grows 4 feet tall and wide.
There are around 100 species of hebe.
