Which are the hardiest hebes?
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Which are the hardiest hebes?
Hebes with white flowers, like H. albicans and H. recurva, tend to be hardier than those with purple blooms. Perhaps because their evergreen foliage looks fresh so much of the year, hebes are named after the Greek goddess of youth and immortality.
Are hebes hard to grow?
Growing a hebe plant is easy. The versatility of these shrubs allows you to grow them in different ways. Use them for edging, plant them in borders, grow them in rock gardens or even in containers. Hebe shrubs are most suited for areas with cool summers and mild winters.
Can I cut back leggy hebes?
If your plant has become ‘leggy’ and tired, you can often rejuvenate it by cutting it back hard. This is best done in spring, when it has more time to recover before winter. Some hebes have a naturally neat, rounded habit and you can get away with pruning them with hedge clippers.
What plants go well with hebes?
Five good companions to plant with hebes
- Catmint – Unlike catnip, catmint doesn’t attract cats to it.
- Japanese anemone – Contrary to this plant’s name, the Japanese anemone is native to China.
- Cranesbill geranium – Cranesbill geranium is well-known for its hardiness, as well as the pretty violet flowers it produces.
Do hebes spread?
Hebe are evergreen shrubs and, depending on the variety, grow from 20cm / 8in to 1.2m / 4ft high and roughly the same spread.
What plants look good with hebes?
How long do hebe shrubs last?
Although some hebes will still be looking good after a decade or so, most will perform at their best for a shorter time and then need to be replaced. A hebe is one of the easiest shrubs to take cuttings from, so rather than buying a replacement plant, have a go at propagating your own hebe.
Do hebes need a lot of water?
They do not grow well in water-logged ground and prefer well-drained soils. When grown in open ground they only require watering in very dry conditions. When grown in containers they will need more frequent watering from May to September.
Can you cut hebe back hard?
Hebes generally need little pruning, but if they get leggy they can be cut back hard to reshape them (this is also worth a go if flower production is poor). The best time to prune them is when the winter starts to lose its grip, but before new growth appears in spring.
How do you keep a hebe compact?
A light, annual pruning will keep the neat, compact shape of hebe plants and ensure that they flower well. Immediately after they have finished flowering simply cut out the dead hebe flowers. After a harsh winter some stems may have been burnt by frost.
Are hebe plants fast growing?
Hebe “Mrs Winder” or “Waikiki” It’s usually used as a low hedge. It flowers from late summer to early winter, able to withstand cold. Its flowers are purple-colored with tapered spikes and its leaves are dark green with a reddish-brown color when young. It’s a fast-growing plant suitable for planting in coastal areas.
Can hebes take full sun?
Hebe grows best in full sun or part sun and well-drained, sandy soil. Too much shade and it will become leggy and might cease blooming. Although relatively drought-tolerant, this shrub requires about an inch of water a week in summer to maintain healthy, robust foliage and produce large, color-drenched blooms.
How tall does a hebe grow?
Hebes are bushy evergreen shrubs with purple, pink or white flowers in summer, and sometimes in spring or autumn. The leaves can be ornamental too, often tinged with pink or variegated. Plants range from 30cm (1ft) up to 1.2m (4ft) tall.
How big do hebe plants grow?
Can you shape a hebe?
Pruning hebes Cut back back dead flowers and up to a third of foliage in late summer, after flowering, to encourage strong new growth and a good bushy shape. Annual pruning will extend the life of your hebe, too. Hard pruning (pictured) can rejuvenate an old hebe plant and give it an extra lease of life.
How tall does a hebe get?
Is a hebe evergreen?
Can I cut hebes back hard?