Description
Characteristic Features of Hebe
Hebe is a genus of evergreen plants native to the Southern Hemisphere. It is found in:
- The Falkland (Malvinas) islands in the Atlantic
- South America
- French Polynesia on the island of Rapa (an endemic species Hebe rapensis that is not found anywhere else)
- Archipelago Kermadec on the island of Raul (the Red Book species of Hebe breviracemosa, also endemic)
- New Zealand, where all other species of Hebe are found (a total of 100 or 140)
- Australia (including the island of Tasmania)
- The island of New Guinea.
The name of the genus was given by botanists who discovered and described its species in the 19th century in commemoration of the Greek goddess of youth, Hebe.
The following species can be found in Russia:
- Hebe speciosa is a high macrophyllum plant cultivated at the Black Sea coast for quite a long time, but it does not winter in central Russia.
- Hebe vemicosa attracts with its glossy foliage.
- Hebe subalpina different light green color of leaves ...
Taxonomists recorded Hebe as a separate species in 1921 and before that all of its current species had been included to the genus Veronica, the family Veronicaceae or Scrophulariaceae. Additional research at the intersection of the 20th and 21st centuries has prompted scientists to transfer the genus Veronica and the family Hebe in the family Plantaginaceae. It is not wide known, and many sources still claim that the species Hebe belongs to the family Scrophulariaceae.
There is a wide variety of species. Among them are the trees growing up to 7 meters tall and dwarf shrubs, such as:
- Hebe epacridea - up to 10 centimeters tall
- Hebe pinguifolia up to 15 centimeters tall
- Hebe buchananii up to 30 centimeters tall
- Hebe diosmifolia and Hebe macrantha up to 50 centimeters tall
- Hebe albicans, Hebe topiaria, Hebe recurva up to 60 centimeters.
The cultivated forms grow much lower:
- Hebe cupressoides. Variety ‘Boughton Dome' grows slowly and can reach 30 centimeters (sometimes more) in height. The bright bronze- coloured variety ‘Golden Dome' grows even slower and lower (23 centimeters).
- Hebe buxifolia. It he wild, it can grow up to 1.5 meters; potted plants do not exceed 40-50 centimeters.
- Hebe crassifolia v. ‘Sutherlandii' can reach 40 centimeters tall but its brown stalks, as a rule, lie down and the plant looks somewhat lower.
Hebe's leaves are arranged crosswise and can be:
- Spear-like, obovate, ovate, oval pointed, oblong, triangular, narrow (willow-like, lanceolate), narrow oval, scaly, broadly.
- Pulpy or thin.
- Glossy or leathery.
- Blue gray, yellow green, green, grey green, greyish, bluish grey, blue grey, bluish, dark green.
- With smooth (solid), split, or stepped edges.
- With white (cream) or reddish border around the edges.
In some species, the leaves are tiny and tightly pressed to the branches that the plant looks softwood.
Hebe flowers, as a rule, in the warm season from early summer to fall. During flowering, it is best to locate them outdoors. The corolla usually consists of four petals. The colors are varying:
- White (Hebe darwiniana, Hebe dieffenbachii, Hebe kirkii and some other species);
- White or pale pink with blue speckles (Hebe anomala, or Hebe odora);
- White or pinkish-white (Hebe petriei);
- White or dark purple (Hebe laaevis);
- White with purple or purple border (Hebe salicifolia);
- White with purple speckles (Hebe angustifolia);
- White with pink-purple streaks (Hebe catarractae);
- White with purple speckles (Hebe andersonii);
- Lavender (Hebe diosmifolia);
- Pale purple (Hebe townsonii);
- Pale purple (Hebe breviracemosa);
- Pale blue or purple (Hebe cupressoides);
- Red or purple (Hebe speciosa);
- Lavender (Hebe hulkeana and Hebe vernicosa);
- Purple (Hebe gracillima);
- Pink (Hebe carnea Hebe glaucophylla);
- Dark purple (Hebe speciosa);
- Dark blue (Hebe pimeleoides);
- Dark purple (Hebe macrocarpa).
Flowers are usually small, collected in the inflorescence. The inflorescence is usually an apical spike 2.5 centimeters containing up 20 flowers. There are also spikes, panicles, and flat inflorescence.
Mother Nature did not restrain its imagination and made all species of Hebe very ornamental. However, so far only three species are recognized and cultivated by the growers: Hebe speciosa, Hebe cupressoides and Hebe andersonii. The latter is recommended to grow mainly in greenhouses and / or conservatories. In addition, you should know and take into account that a large number of hybrid varieties (in particular, indoor variety ‘Cookiana' and ‘La Reine' (pure white flowers), ‘Evelyn' and ‘La Seduisante' (carmine or dark blue flowers), garden variety ‘Variegata' (white- yellow-green leaves) are commercially available as Hebe Andersonii.
The Secrets to Successfully Growing Hebe
Hebe is light-requiring but make sure to protect it from direct sunlight on hot summer days to avoid burns. If you want to go without shading, gradually accustom the plant to sunlight from early spring. From October to February, provide a resting period in cool conditions, avoiding growth during short-light days. If the plant still starts to grow, it will need supplemental lighting. In any season, you should fulfil two requirements: 1) bright sunlight (3,000-3,900 lux); 2) moderate temperatures (20-22 ° C in the summer and 6-8 ° C in the winter). In a very warm room, Hebe can drop leaves and buds.
Hebe is considered to be indifferent to air humidity but if the temperature exceeds the limits in the summer, as mentioned above, mist the plant more frequently. It may be useful to move the pot (or container) to the balcony or choose a suitable location in the garden.
Hebe loves moisture and need to be watered plentifully in the summer. Water moderately in the autumn and during a cold winter. Water when the top soil is dry to touch. Water stagnation in the roots is not allowed. Always ensure a good drainage.
The soil for Hebe should be deep, lightweight and loose. Heavy dense clay soils will not do. Make a soil mixture by mixing loam, leaf mold, peat, and sand at 2: 4: 2: 1. You may add pieces of birch charcoal and small pieces of extended clay. Check acidity -- preferable pH is 5.0-7.0.
When repotting your plant in the spring, you might want to try other soil mixtures consisting of three components:
- Loam, leaf mold, and sand (1: 3: 1);
- Leaf mold, clay, and sand (1: 2: 1).
Young specimens (less than 3 years old) should be repotted each year, and the mature plants every second year.
Fertilising schedule is easy. Use liquid fertilizer for flowering plants and feed the plant from April to September every 2 weeks or more frequently, once every 10 days. Make sure the fertilizer does not contain calcium (Ca) salts.
Hebe is propagated by two methods:
A) From seeds. They quickly lose germination ability and can not be kept for long. Sow the seeds directly into a wide pot into the loose soil prepared from leaf mold or peat mixed with sand. Mist the soil surface with a sprinkler, cover with glass, and place under bright light but not in direct sunlight. When the first leaves emerge, remove the glass and move the seedlings to the fresh air in a location protected from wind, rain, and heat.
B) By 10-12-centimeter apical cuttings. It is best to make cuttings in autumn during decorative pruning. Remove the lower leaves, dip the cuts in growth hormone and plant in loose soil. Use a protective cap made from a transparent plastic bag. Warm the soil to 20-25 ° C. About 1.5 months later, seedlings should take root and start developing new leaves. Remove the protective cap and pinch out the tips. Repeat for better branching.
Some experts advise pinching out (no pruning) also in the spring, allegedly to encourage flowering. Others claim that multiple pinching do not affect the number of flowers or their size. Fancy checking out who is right?
Potential Problems
Overwatering in the winter can cause massive leaf drop.
Overdosed fertilizer will result in leaf edges drying up and turning brown.
In low light, shoots get leggy and leaves get discoloured, small, weakly connected with the stalks.
If the soil dries out, the leaves become pale (dull grey) and sluggish, and may develop brown spots around the edges.
If you water the plant irregularly and underwatering is alternating with overwatering, the plant will get one or another type of leaf spot (mostly brown spots).
The discoloured spots on the leaves are a sign of mold. Use fungicides. Another dangerous fungal disease is a powdery mildew (white patches on the leaves).
If the air is too dry and hot, Hebe can be affected by spider mites.
Other undesirable roommates are aphids (they are particularly active in the flowering period, and even if the plant is contained in the open field), as well as scale insects leaving their sticky secretions on the leaves and stems.
