Hebe (Veronica pinguifolia): when and how to prune

Hebe (Veronica pinguifolia): when to prune it?

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After flowering, in June, plus a light tidy in April.

What else to prune in those months? April · June

Hebe (Veronica pinguifolia): how to prune it?

1. Cut off the spent spikes to just above the leaves.
2. Shorten protruding or overlong branches to keep the shape, always within green wood.
3. In April: remove dead or frost-damaged twigs back to healthy wood, which only shows clearly in May.

How much to cut, and how often?

• There are 2 pruning periods a year: April and June. You don’t have to prune in every one.
• Prune in moderation: never remove more than about a third of the shrub at once.

What does it mean for wildlife?

• Pruning in April and June can fall in the nesting season (15 March–15 August). Check carefully for nesting birds first: disturbing an active nest is against the law.
• Hebe (Veronica pinguifolia) flowers in May–June, when it attracts bees.
• If pruning falls during flowering, wait until it is over or leave part of the plant to flower, so bees and butterflies still benefit.
• Prunings can go on a dead hedge or brash pile in a corner of the garden: shelter for hedgehogs, wrens and insects.

Common mistakes

• Clipping without first checking for nesting birds.
• Leaving a stub or sawing flush with the trunk: cut just outside the branch collar.

Nearby: related pruning guides

• Hebe (Veronica × franciscana)
• Hebe (Veronica albicans)
• Hebe (Veronica odora)
• Hebe (Veronica rakaiensis)
• Koromiko (Veronica salicifolia)
• Whipcord hebe (Veronica ochracea)

Plant profile: Hebe (Veronica pinguifolia) · Pruning calendar and basic rules