Hebe

Hebe: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Regular, sturdy dome about 80 cm high and 1 m wide, with close-set, upright branches.

Leaves

Small, light to fresh green, oblong and leathery, in opposite pairs on the stem; evergreen.

Flowers

Short white spikes at the tips of the shoots, in June and July.

Roots

Fibrous and fairly shallow: it likes free-draining soil and does not tolerate wet feet.

Use

As a single dome, in small groups in a border or in a pot.

Flowering: June–July · Plants: April–May · Pruning: April and August

Why grow it?

• Forms a regular, round dome by itself, with little clipping.
• A good alternative to box balls, now that many gardens suffer from box tree moth and box blight.
• Fresh green leaves that stay on the plant all year.
• White flowers in June–July attract bees and butterflies.
• Hardy to about −15 °C and low maintenance.

Hebe: where does it grow best?

• Full sun to half shade; in sun the dome stays compact and flowers more.
• Free-draining, not too rich soil: sand, loam or light clay, acid to chalky.
• Moderately dry to normal; never waterlogged in winter.
• Sheltered from cold, dry wind, especially when the plant is young.
• Allow 1 m per plant; for a row of domes, 1 m from centre to centre.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

0.8 m tall, 1 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -15 °C)

Goes well with

• Lavender: Same sunny, free-draining spot; scented purple flowers.
• Ornamental grasses: Light plumes that contrast with the dense, round domes.
• Cranesbill: Blue to purple flowers next to the fresh green leaves.
• Stonecrop: Late flowers in August–September on the same soil.
• Roses: Fresh green domes at the foot of a rose border.

Hebe: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May.

1. Plant in April–May, when the worst frosts are over, so the plant can root well before winter.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball; on heavy soil mix in sand or fine grit.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot and firm the soil well.
4. Leave 1 m between plants; if you want the domes to touch, 80 cm.
5. Water in thoroughly and keep the soil slightly moist in the first year.
6. Lay a layer of bark or leaf mould around the base, without covering the stems.

Care

Water

In the first year during dry weather, afterwards only in long dry spells. In pots regularly, but never with wet feet.

Feeding

In April a handful of organic fertiliser or shrub feed; not after August.

Mulching

A layer of bark or leaf mould in spring keeps the soil moist and protects the roots in winter.

Spent flowers

Cut off the spikes after flowering: the dome stays crisp.

Repotting

Potted plants are repotted every 2–3 years in April, into a larger pot with free-draining compost.

Tip: Plant several hebes in a row or small group in a sunny, free-draining spot: you get the effect of box balls without box tree moth. Only trim after flowering, and never into bare wood.

Hebe: when to prune it?

Pruning months: April and August.

When: After flowering, in August, plus a light tidy in April.

How:

• Cut off the spent spikes to just above the leaves.
• It keeps its domed shape almost by itself; just shorten protruding branches, always within green wood.
• In April: remove dead or frost-damaged twigs back to healthy wood, which only shows clearly in May.

Caution: Do not cut deep into old, bare wood: it often fails to regrow. Do not prune in autumn either.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Semi-ripe cuttings

In July–September take cuttings of 5–8 cm from non-flowering shoots, strip the lower leaves and insert in sandy compost. Usually rooted in 3–5 weeks.

Seed

Possible, but cultivars do not come true from seed; cuttings are the reliable method.

Hebe: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −15 °C: protect young plants.

• Hardy to about −15 °C: it can stay outside in most Belgian winters.
• Protect young plants in hard frost with fleece and pile leaves or bark around the base in October.
• In a pot: stand it against a sheltered wall and wrap the pot in hessian, or move it to a frost-free place.

Diseases and pests

• Frost damage: Brown leaves and dead twigs after a hard winter. Wait until May, then cut back to healthy wood; it often regrows from the base.
• Root rot: The plant fades and drops leaves on soil that is too wet. Improve drainage with sand or move it to a higher spot.
• Leaf spot: Brown or black spots on the leaves, especially in wet spells. Remove affected leaves and avoid watering over the foliage.
• Dome opening up: Too much shade or pruned too hard. Give more sun and trim lightly every year.

Through the year

• April: Planting. Remove dead twigs. Feed.
• May: Planting. Cut out frost damage.
• June: Flowering begins. Water in dry weather.
• July: Full flower, bees and butterflies. Cuttings from late July.
• August: Cut off spent spikes. Tidy the dome. Take cuttings.
• September: Take cuttings.
• October: Lay mulch or leaves around the base.
• November: Move pots frost-free. Protect young plants.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Butterflies

Nectar for butterflies.

Did you know?

• The species name refers to the Rakaia, a river on the South Island of New Zealand.
• Hebes were long treated as a genus of their own, but are now placed in Veronica (speedwell).
• The name Hebe refers to the Greek goddess of youth.