Their spiked blooms are red, pink, white, purple, or blue.
Plant hebe in the late spring to early summer.
However, too much shade makes them leggy in appearance and may cause their blooming to stop.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Soil
Well-draining soil is a must for most hebe shrubs.
They like moist soil, but never wet.
TheHebegenus doesnt do well with extremes in soil pH.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Most withstand slightly acidic to slightly alkaline soil conditions, but neutral soil is generally best.
A weekly watering schedule will keep in-ground plants happy, full, and bright.
Temperature and Humidity
Hebe shrubs are quite hardy and tolerate cold temperatures.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
However, heavy frosts or a deep freeze take a toll on them.
The shrubs thrive in a climate with warm summers and mild winters.
These easy-to-care-for shrubs prefer mild conditions, both in the summer and winter.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Fertilizer
To add to their easy care, hebe shrubs do not require much fertilizing.
Types of Hebe Shrubs
There are close to 100 different species within the genus and even morecultivars.
Once their flowers fade, trim them off to encourage more to bloom.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Cut it back using the'1/3 Rule' for pruning shrubsto create a bushier look.
This will keep it from taking on a leggy appearance.
Propagating Hebe Shrubs
Propagating hebe plants is simple.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
The best way to do this is through cuttings.
Therefore the recommended propagation method is from cuttings.
Smaller varieties make the best potted hebe shrubs.
Hebe ‘Variegata’
A terra-cotta pot is ideal because it lets excess moisture evaporate.
Overwintering
In a warmer climate, established shrubs do just fine outdoors during the winter.
Protect younger shrubs bywrapping or covering thembefore freezing temperatures arrive.
Hebe ‘Red Edge’mtreasure/ Getty Images
Below USDA zone 7, the plants need to be overwintered indoors.
Common Pests and Plant Diseases
Aphids and spider mites find this plant quite tasty.
Take care of that problem with horticultural oil or an organic insecticide.
Fungal issues might arise if the plant is too wet.
How Long Does a Hebe Shrub Bloom?
The shrubs stand out by their long bloom period of a month or more.
What Do Hebe Shrub Flowers Look and Smell Like?
The flower spikes in purple, pink, red, or white resemble a bottlebrush.
As they agethey remain on the plant for weeks on endthey fade in color.
The flowers are not fragrant.
How to Encourage More Blooms
Failure of the hebe to bloom fully can have several reasons.
One is that you accidentally pruned too hard and removed new growth and nodes when pruning.
It takes the shrub a season or two to recover.
Lack of sunlight is another potential cause for poor bloom.
have a go at cut back neighboring plants to give the shrub more light.
Deadheading Hebe Shrub Flowers
Deadheading the faded flowers encourage further blooms and extends the flowering period.
With proper care, these shrubs can thrive for up to 10 years.
Veronicaand hebe are in the same plant family but different plants.
They are often mistaken for each other because the flower spikes have some resemblance.
And one of the hebe species,Hebe rakaiensis, is commonly known as shrubby veronica.
Evergreen Hebes Perform Colorfully in The Garden.
