Hebe, shrubby veronica: planting, pruning and care

Description and botany

The genus Hebe, which includes around a hundred species, represents a group of veronicas exclusively shrubby, distinct from genus Veronica which comprises some 200 herbaceous species. These shrubby veronicas all originate from Southern Hemisphere, particularly New Zealand and neighbouring islands and, for two species, Chile, while most herbaceous veronicas (Veronica) are native to broad Eurasian region. Veronicas belong to family Scrophulariaceae.

These bushes with dense branches have fairly coriaceous evergreen foliage arranged in opposite pairs; in dwarf forms this sometimes creates very attractive graphic effect. Shrubby veronicas are generally divided into two categories to distinguish their use:

Some foliage: Hebe pimeleoides ‘Quicksilver’, Hebe ochracea, Hebe ‘Emerald Green’

1) Hebe with large leaves

They show rapid growth and produce a remarkable late flowering from July to October in large mauve, violet, blue, pink or white spikes. Leaves are more or less ovate, 5 to 10 cm long, glossy with intense colours ranging from dark green to medium green, with bronze or purple tones in winter. Lamina is marked by central vein and shows pale green shade on underside. These bushes have a rounded habit, size varying from 70 cm to 2 m in every direction, and can also be trained on stem to form a flowering ball throughout summer.

2) Hebe with small leaves

They have fairly slow growth and compact habit. Some species such as Hebe ochracea (syn. armstrongii) and Hebe cupressoides bear leaves reduced to scales reminiscent of heather or cypress, often golden-bronze, grey-green or bright green tones similar to twigs of dwarf conifers. Others produce small opposite decussate leaves recalling box, in green or silver tones and are offered as replacements for box borders weakened by various pests. Habit is globe-shaped in Green Globe or Cobb Valley, spreading in Hebe pinguifolia Sutherlandii. Shoots are sometimes brightly coloured as in Hebe pimeleoides Quicksilver, whose silvery foliage contrasts with intensely violet stems. Their delicate flowering in short spikes of white or pale pink is often quite discreet.

Veronica flower is easily recognisable by 2 prominent stamens protruding from a corolla of 4 petals fused at base, with 4 sepals and a long central pistil. Other members of family Scrophulariaceae such as foxglove (Digitalis) or mulleins (Verbascum) generally have 5 fused petals, whereas in veronicas (Veronica and Hebe) only upper petal results from fusion of two petals. In Hebe, corolla forms a rather long tube opening onto 4 lobes 2–3 mm wide. Flowers are grouped in spikes 2 to 10 cm long.

Flowers with often intense colours are very nectariferous.

Fruit is a capsule.

Some flowers: Hebe ‘Raspberry Ripple’, Hebe ochracea, Hebe ‘Ouessant’ (photo PAP), Hebe ‘Sutherlandii’

Main Varieties of Shrubby Veronicas

Flowering varieties

Varieties with decorative foliage

Hebe Wiri Charm

Spreading bush with shiny dark green evergreen foliage, bristly with pinkish-purple flower spikes throughout summer. Easy to grow in ordinary, well-drained soil and drought-tolerant once established. Excellent for pots or seaside gardens, hardy to -10°C in well-drained soil.

• Flowering time July to October
• Height at maturity 90 cm

See the product sheet

Hebe Raspberry Ripple

Compact bush forming a pretty cushion of dark green evergreen foliage, covered with raspberry-pink flower spikes in summer. Easy to grow and disease-resistant. Hardy to -12°C in well-drained soil.

• Flowering time July to October
• Height at maturity 50 cm

See the product sheet

Hebe pinguifolia Sutherlandii

Small rounded bush with very dense foliage made up of small evergreen leaves of a soft grey-green, covered in globose white spikes. Very hardy for a shrubby Veronica, tolerating -12 to -13°C in porous soil. Tolerates sea spray and dry, poor soils, even slightly calcareous. Excellent for patio or rockery.

• Flowering time July to September
• Height at maturity 55 cm

See the product sheet

Hebe Green Globe

Bright light green ball of fine, dense evergreen foliage reminiscent of santolina, with inconspicuous white flowers. Easy to cultivate in pots or in ground, tolerant of most soil types but only slightly hardy (to -8°C in well-drained soil).

• Flowering time August, September
• Height at maturity 30 cm

See the product sheet

Hebe ochracea

Small veronica resembling a dwarf conifer with scaly golden-yellow shoots that grow horizontally. Grows to 50–70 cm in all directions and produces inconspicuous white flowers in summer. Plant in full sun in well-drained soil.

• Flowering time July, August
• Height at maturity 60 cm

See the product sheet

Hebe Heartbreaker

Characterful bush notable for its variegated evergreen foliage, green and purple margined with cream, which turns bright pink and purple in cold. Ideal in containers or mixed borders, hardy to -10°C.

• Flowering time June to August
• Height at maturity 60 cm

See the product sheet

Hebe pimeleoides Quicksilver

Compact spreading bush up to 90 cm in diameter with small silvery leaves borne on upright stems of intense purple, very elegant. Ideal as groundcover, in borders, rockery or in pots. Tolerates down to -15°C in well-drained soil.

• Flowering time July, August
• Height at maturity 45 cm

See the product sheet

Planting

Where to plant shrubby veronica?

Shrubby veronicas prefer mild climates of the Atlantic or Mediterranean coast thanks also to their tolerance of sea spray, but montane species such as pinguifolia and buxifolia can withstand short frosts down to -15°C. They tolerate urban pollution fairly well, which allows attractive container displays.
They grow in any type of well-drained soil, whether neutral, slightly acidic or calcareous. Compact soil that becomes waterlogged in winter shortens their lifespan.
Large-leaved Hebe should be protected from wind to keep a dense habit while small-leaved Hebe have a habit suited to wind and drought. Provide deep, well-drained soil.

When to plant?

Container-grown plants are best planted in spring, before main summer heat, or in autumn if winters are mild.

How to plant?

This plant is easy to grow provided watering is controlled.

• Dip the rootball into a bucket of water to thoroughly wet it.
• Dig a hole three times wider than the rootball and loosen the soil around it with the tines of a digging fork.
• Add a few handfuls of sand and gravel to ensure good drainage around the roots. In heavy soil, add compost or coarse sand to lighten the structure, or opt for planting on a raised bed or in a rockery. In poor soil, add well-rotted manure or decomposed compost.
• Place the plant in the planting hole.
• Backfill with soil and firm gently.
• Water and mulch to protect against summer drought and winter frost.

For planting in a pot, choose a good potting compost for flowering plants and add a layer of clay pebbles or broken terracotta at the bottom of the container, which must have drainage holes. Avoid placing a saucer under the pot where possible.

→ Also read our care sheet : How to grow a Hebe in a pot?

Shrubby veronica in its setting: Hebe leiophylla

Hebe care and pruning

Hebe can be pruned if necessary at end of winter, when growth begins to restore a compact habit and remove wood damaged by frost. This is a light pruning carried out with shears that should not remove more than two-thirds of the length of the shoots. Careful pruning of dried flowers helps keep a neat, compact appearance, especially on potted plants.

In cold regions, protect pot with bubble wrap and branches with horticultural fleece or shelter plant in a bright, cool room.

→ Find out more about veronica care in our tutorial with Ingrid: When and how to prune a shrubby veronica?

Multiplication

Simplest method of propagation is to propagate shrubby veronica by cuttings or to take layered stems from groundcover forms.

Propagation by cuttings

Prepare a deep pot by filling it with potting compost mixed with sand or with compost suitable for cuttings.

• Take in summer lignified or semi‑ripe shoots 10–15 cm long, from periphery of bush that has not borne flowers.
• Remove leaves from near base of cutting.
• Insert cuttings to two‑thirds of their length, avoiding them touching each other.
• Firm down gently all around to eliminate air pockets and ensure good contact between compost and cutting.
• Water and place them in a spot sheltered from wind and direct sunlight.
• Protect young plants under a cold frame during winter.

Rooting is quick and you can plant new young plants following spring or wait another year.

→ Find out more with our advice sheet : How to take a cutting of shrubby veronica?

Uses and companion plants

Shrubby veronicas tolerate sea spray but must not be exposed directly to sea wind. Use a low wall to plant them at the back and create a pretty flowering mound that does not rise above the top of the wall. Tall species should be reserved for less windy areas, in the background.

In a rockery, groundcover varieties can sit alongside heathers such as Erica multiflora, E. cinerea, Calluna vulgaris, Lithodora diffusa, dwarf artemisias or creeping rosemary. In coastal areas, try the false Andean heather Fabiana imbricata, flowering from May to July and suited to acidic to neutral soils, or Globularia alypum, with pretty blue heads open between January and April in calcareous soil.

An example of a planting combination: Lithodora diffusa ‘Heavenly Blue’, Calluna vulgaris ‘H.E Beale’, Artemisia alba ‘Canescens’, Hebe ochracea

Varieties with small, graphic foliage such as Hebe Sutherlandii form attractive dense, ball-shaped specimens to display in a large pot on a stylish terrace or to structure a very sunny rockery. They make attractive, low-maintenance groundcover that hug the shape of rocks but can also be used as clipped edgings or topiaries to replace boxwood.