Hebe andersonii Variegata - Andersons hebe, shrubby veronica

Hebe x andersonii 'Variegata' is a Variegated Shrubby Veronica, superb throughout the year, thanks to its variegated evergreen foliage and its long-lasting summer flowering. This small shrub forms a dense tuft with branches adorned with leathery, glossy leaves, variegated with olive green and creamy white. From July onwards, numerous spikes of small violet flowers develop at the tips of branches, enhancing the plant's ornamental appeal. Its low hardiness, around -7°C, restricts its planting in the ground to mild areas. Elsewhere, it can easily be kept in a pot to overwinter away from severe cold.

Formerly classified among the Scrophulariaceae, the Hebe genus now belongs to the Plantaginaceae alongside around a hundred others, such as Ribwort Plantain (or Plantago, a genus that gave its name to the family). Commonly known as Shrubby Veronica, Hebe species number in the tens and are mainly native to New Zealand and Australia, with a smaller presence in South America. While "true" Speedwells (from the genus Veronica) are herbaceous plants, Hebe is a shrublet with woody stems, thus quite different in appearance. The first introduction to Europe dates back to 1775, when George Forster brought back a Hebe elliptica from a famous Captain Cook expedition.
Hebe x andersonii is a hybrid obtained around 1830 in New Zealand by crossing an H. salicifolia, a 2 m tall shrub growing on the South Island up to 2800 m altitude, and also in Chile, with a New Zealand H. speciosa, from which numerous horticultural varieties originate. This hybrid was initially popular due to its attractive fleshy foliage and late flowering (August-September), but it is now surpassed by its cultivars with brighter flower colours, or like 'Variegata', offering the additional allure of even more decorative variegated foliage than the species. Hebe x andersonii 'Variegata' is a beautiful compact shrub that reaches 1.50 m in height and 1.20 m in width after ten years of growth, eventually reaching around 2 m in height when thriving in its environment. It is very easy to recognise due to its characteristic foliage, arranged in a very architectural manner on the branches. The leaves are opposite and decussate, facing each other on either side of the branch, with each pair rotated 90° from the previous one. The leaves are therefore aligned in crosses when viewed from the front. Measuring around 4 cm in length and 2.5 cm in width, the leaves have an obovate shape, with the widest part in the upper third. They are abundant and give the plant a dense appearance and a very attractive silhouette. Beyond their particular geometry, the eye is drawn to their colouration, a beautiful olive green to grey-green in the middle of the leaf, bordered by a wide creamy white margin. Evergreen, two-toned, and slightly shiny, the foliage is truly ornamental throughout the year. Between July and October, the shrub produces a beautiful flowering display in the form of axillary spikes around 8 cm long, composed of numerous small violet flowers. These inflorescences bloom for several weeks, further enhancing the plant's attractiveness.

Not very hardy and often used as an annual in container plantings in cold regions, this Shrubby Veronica deserves a place in gardens with mild climates, as its ornamental qualities are evident. It is compact, tolerates pruning well if needed and will easily find a place in the garden. You can create a colourful scene by planting it at the base of a Crape Myrtle, which blooms profusely in summer. Choose a cultivar with dark purple foliage for a fireworks display of colours! Buddleia davidii 'Argus White', a dwarf and non-invasive variety, will balance your planting with the serenity of its long pure white spikes in summer. A Ceanothus impressus 'Victoria', a beautiful shrub with small dark green persistent leaves covered in a multitude of blue-mauve flowers in spring, with a lovely summer rebloom, will also be a perfect companion in the border.