Hebe 'New Zealand' (Shrubby Veronica) – Evergreen Shrub (2L Pot)

Hebe is a compact evergreen shrub that keeps its shape and its leaves all year, then adds slender spikes of flower from late spring into summer.

'New Zealand' is one of the neat, well branched forms in our hebe range. Depending on type these shrubs make rounded mounds, domes or gently arching shapes from around 30cm to 120cm tall and wide. The foliage carries the plant, glossy green, soft grey, silvery, finely textured or variegated according to variety, and many forms flush red or bronze in cold weather. The flower spikes rise lightly above the leaves in white, lilac, pink, mauve or soft purple.

Give it full sun or partial shade in free draining soil. Hebes are among the best evergreens for exposed and seaside gardens, standing the salt wind that scorches other shrubs, and once established they cope well with dry soil. They grow as happily in a container as in the ground, and their year round structure earns them a place in edging, low hedging and border planting where you want something to hold the shape through winter.

The small and silver leaved hebes are the toughest. The large glossy leaved kinds can be cut back by a hard winter inland, so give those a sheltered spot. Little pruning is needed beyond a tidy after flowering. Supplied as an established plant in a 17cm 2 litre pot, grown peat free and ready to plant.

Cultural Information

• Common Name: Hebe, shrubby veronica
• Fully Grown Height and Spread: 30 to 120cm tall and wide, depending on variety
• Growth Habit: Compact, rounded or gently arching evergreen shrub
• Perfect For: Containers, borders, edging, low hedging, coastal and exposed gardens
• Foliage: Evergreen. Green, grey, silver, variegated or red flushed, depending on variety
• Flowering Time: Late spring into summer
• Planting Position: Full sun or partial shade, including coastal and exposed gardens. Grows well in containers and tolerates dry soil once established
• Soil Type: Free draining
• Hardiness: The small and silver leaved hebes are fully hardy across Britain. The large glossy leaved kinds can be knocked back by a hard winter
• Maintenance: Low. Tidy after flowering
• Seasonal Interest: Spring and summer, with evergreen foliage the year round
• Type: Evergreen shrub