Purple-pink, blue or white panicles stand above dark green evergreen leaves and keep decorating the bush through most of the winter, which is why shrubby veronica (Hebe) suits edges, flower beds and terrace pots. It thrives in mild climates, so a sunlit, sheltered spot pays you back with flowers from spring to fall.
| Name | Hebe |
|---|---|
| Family | Scrophulariaceae |
| Type | shrub |
| Height | 1 to 5 feet (30 to 150 cm) |
| Exposure | full sun, part sun |
| Soil | ordinary |
| Foliage | evergreen |
| Flowering | early spring to late autumn depending on the variety |
Caring for this plant, from planting to pruning, should help you get magnificent flower clusters.
It is better to plant shrubby veronica in fall to favor root development before winter hits, and ensure proper growth in the following spring.
Planting at other times than fall is perfectly possible for specimens purchased in pots or containers.
Always choose a sunlit and wind-sheltered spot because Hebe is vulnerable to cold frost spells.
Shrubby veronica tolerates part sun.
Making cuttings is the easiest and fastest way to propagate your Hebe.
Veronica shrubs thrive in mild climates, especially in winter. It is easy to care for, especially when well settled in.
Remove wilted flowers regularly, snipping the stem just below the flower (deadheading).
This is how you will trigger new flowers.
If needed, you can also cut the plant back at the very beginning of spring.
In case of strong frost spells, it may be that your shrubby Veronica is hit, and that part of the leaves turn brown and die instead of growing back.
If this happens, remove all dead portions that have frozen, to stimulate new shoots.
In winter, mulch on the ground will protect roots from freezing.
Shrubby veronica keeps adding wood, flowers and beauty as year come and go, so it might reach the point where you would like to transplant your hebe.
When finished, press the soil down around your hebe, add a bit more soil if needed, and water abundantly. Remember to water at least once, best twice a week for the first few months.
Every task this shrub needs has its own moment in the year. Here is the whole calendar in one place.
| Task | Best time | Why then |
|---|---|---|
| Planting | Fall (pot-grown plants at other times too) | Roots settle before winter and growth follows in spring |
| Taking cuttings | End of summer | Soft wood from new growth that has not hardened is used |
| Deadheading | Regularly, as flowers fade | Snipping below each spent flower triggers new ones |
| Cutting back | Very beginning of spring | Reshapes the shrub before the season’s growth |
| Transplanting | May, middle of spring | The last frosts are over |
| Mulching | Winter | A layer of mulch keeps the roots from freezing |
Follow that order and the shrub keeps adding wood, flowers and beauty year after year.
Hebes vary enormously in size, from ankle-high mounds to shoulder-high shrubs, and the flower colour and flowering period differ just as much. Use the table below to match a variety to the spot you have in mind.
| Variety | Flower colour | Flowering period | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ‘Midsummer Beauty’ | Lavender fading to white | Summer to autumn | Back of border, informal hedge |
| ‘Great Orme’ | Bright pink fading to white | Midsummer to autumn | Mixed border, focal shrub |
| ‘Pewter Dome’ | White | Late spring to early summer | Low domes, gravel beds |
| ‘Mrs Winder’ | Violet-blue | Late summer to autumn | Purple-tinted foliage contrast |
| ‘Pagei’ | White | Late spring to early summer | Ground cover, wall tops |
| ‘Autumn Glory’ | Deep violet-blue | Late summer to autumn | Small gardens, terrace pots |
| ‘Nicola’s Blush’ | Pink ageing to white | Summer into winter | Long-flowering pots and edges |
Shrubby veronica offers very interesting flowers from spring to fall.
The beautiful purple-pink, blue or white panicles (depending on the variety) stay in place and will keep decorating the beautiful dark green leaves during the most part of the winter.
Its bushy aspect and ornamental appeal will engage the by-goer along edges, flower beds, and also pots and garden boxes on the terrace.
Hebe resists freezing when winters are cold down to more or less 14°F (-10°C). But it still is a bit fragile during the first years after planting.
If you match Hebe together with a low boxwood hedge, you’ll create a striking evergreen bed.
