(Hee' bee)
Photo CC Seekstodream on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/seeks2dream/
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Hebe
(Hee'
bee)
Photo CC Seekstodream on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/seeks2dream/
| Hebe is a genus of 100 species of evergreen shrubs, along with many named varieties. They are mainly from New Zealand, but there are also a few in Southwestern Australia and South America. They have small, closely-set leaves that form a compact mass, and pointed terminal racemes of many tiny flowers that may be white, pink, violet, blue, or red, depending on species or variety. Most are small, 1-3', but some may reach 6-8'. Different varieties bloom at different times, spring through fall, and most produce a lot of flowers. Hebes want full sun and good drainage. Our selections come from a high, windy zone 8 location, so have shown more cold-hardiness than some varieties. | |
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Hebe 'Alameda'
is notable for green-gold foliage. Flowers are white, and plant height
is in the neighborhood of 2'.
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| Hebe albicans 'Snow Cover' -- A subalpine prostrate form that's useful as a groundcover or to flow over the edges of a pot, covering them. Small grey-green leaves and abundant white flowers. |
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Hebe 'Silver Dollar -- The special thing about this compact evergreen shrublet is its winter color. The small, neatly-arranged leaves are trimmed in cream, but in winter and early spring, the newer growth takes on a rosy pink-purple color that fairly glows. As this show fades a bit, it's followed by pale mauve flowers that fade to white in summer. All this happens on a shrub that only reaches about 2', and at least as wide as tall. Zones 8-10, sun.
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Hebe 'Carl Teschner' grows to under a foot tall, with many branches, small leaves, and violet flowers with white throats.
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Hebe
'Jane Holden' is a 4' shrub with purple-pink flowers, large leaves,
and an erect habit.
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Hebe 'McKeanii' is small-statured, growing to just a foot tall, and tiny-leaved, having the appearance of heather and making it a nice fit for a rock garden. Flowers are white and profuse in midsummer, and the foliage is evergreen. As a general rule, the smaller a Hebe's leaves, the hardier it is, and this is no exception, with a range of zones 7-9.
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Hebe 'Mrs Winder' -- A larger shrub to 3x4', with 3" violet-blue flowers in late summer. Leaves are dark green, bronzing in winter and may have red edges anytime. A robust cultivar, zones 8-10.
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Hebe 'Pimeba' -- is a low-growing evergreen shrub to about a foot. The small leaves are grey-green, with red edges and becoming red in winter. Violet and white flowers spikes are abundant in early summer.
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Hebe 'Pinocchio' has the unique combination of very showy yellow-variegation, large leaves, and low growth to just 18". Flowers are deep raspberry.
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Hebe 'Sapphire' -- In cool weather, 'Sapphire' displays vivid red stems and central leaf veins, and when that color fades in summer, it's replaced by an abundance of light violet, pyramidal flowers. Small shrub to about 2x2'. Zone 8, maybe 7.
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Hebe 'Veronica Lake' Compact 3'shrub with glossy green foliage that violet midribs. Abundant flowers are violet when they open, later fading to white.
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Hebe 'Wiri Charm' is a cross between the species diosmifolia and speciosa, forming a 30" x 50" shrub with relatively large leaves and deep rose flowers with a hint of purple.
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