Alpine hebe
Hebes divide by leaf, and the leaf tells you how cold a winter it will survive. Small-leaved, tight, grey-green kinds are tough enough for anywhere; the big glossy-leaved ones with long flower spikes are the ones that get killed in a hard winter, having looked perfect for five mild ones.
They also dislike being fed. Rich soil gives soft growth that flops open in the middle, and a lean, gritty, sunny spot gives the dense dome the plant is bought for.
Hardy alpine/whipcord hebeWhipcord hebe
Hardy alpine/whipcord hebe
This is the hardier, small-leaved end of the genus — it doesn't need the winter shelter routine that the large-leaved tender_large_leaved group does.
Care
Tolerates open, exposed and coastal sites well — one of the hardier, more wind-tolerant shrubs in the KB.
Once established.
Free-draining soil of low to moderate fertility; winter wet is more of a risk to this group than winter cold.
Trim lightly in late spring, before the new season's flowers appear, to keep tight, compact mounds; avoid hard pruning into old wood, which many types won't reshoot from.
No feeding. The small-leaved alpine hebes want lean, sharply drained ground — fed, they grow loose and leafy, flower less and come through winter worse.
Semi-ripe cuttings in late summer root easily in gritty compost. Since old plants become bare and woody at the base and cannot be cut back into old wood, replacing them from cuttings every few years is standard practice.
Month by month
Months change with the climate: in southern Italy tomatoes go out two months earlier than in England.
- MarchLight feed as growth resumes. how ›
- MayLight trim before the new flowering season, once the previous year's flowerheads have faded. how ›
- NovemberHardy enough to stay outdoors unprotected in most UK gardens, including exposed and coastal sites — no winter shelter routine needed for this group.
Months based on climate: UK. Your choice stays on this device.
- MarchLight feed as growth resumes. how ›
- MayLight trim before the new flowering season, once the previous year's flowerheads have faded. how ›
- NovemberHardy enough to stay outdoors unprotected in most UK gardens, including exposed and coastal sites — no winter shelter routine needed for this group.
Months based on climate: Northern Italy. Your choice stays on this device.
- FebruaryLight feed as growth resumes. how ›
- AprilLight trim before the new flowering season, once the previous year's flowerheads have faded. how ›
- NovemberHardy enough to stay outdoors unprotected in most UK gardens, including exposed and coastal sites — no winter shelter routine needed for this group.
Months based on climate: Central Italy. Your choice stays on this device.
- FebruaryLight feed as growth resumes. how ›
- AprilLight trim before the new flowering season, once the previous year's flowerheads have faded. how ›
- DecemberHardy enough to stay outdoors unprotected in most UK gardens, including exposed and coastal sites — no winter shelter routine needed for this group.
Months based on climate: Southern Italy and islands. Your choice stays on this device.
Common problems
How to spot it. Blackened, mushy growth at the base after a wet winter.
What to do. The main risk for this group is poor drainage, not cold — improve drainage or raise the planting position.
Tender large-leaved hebeShrubby veronica, Large-leaved hebe
Tender large-leaved hebe
Check the specific hardiness of the named cultivar before planting in an exposed spot, and have a winter shelter plan ready in cold gardens — this group is considerably less cold-tolerant than small-leaved alpine hebes.
Care
A sheltered spot, ideally against a warm wall in colder gardens.
Once established.
Free-draining soil of low to moderate fertility; dislikes waterlogging, especially in winter.
Trim lightly in late spring, before the new season's flowers appear, to keep compact; avoid hard pruning into old wood, which many types won't reshoot from.
At most a light spring feed on poor soil. As with the alpine kinds, soft well-fed growth is what the first hard frost destroys, and these are the less hardy of the two.
Semi-ripe cuttings in late summer, overwintered under cover. Take them every year as insurance: a large-leaved hebe is the plant most likely to be lost in a genuinely cold winter.
Month by month
Months change with the climate: in southern Italy tomatoes go out two months earlier than in England.
- MarchLight feed as growth resumes. how ›
- MayLight trim before the new flowering season, once the previous year's flowerheads have faded. how ›
- OctoberIn cold or exposed gardens, move potted plants to a sheltered spot, or fleece plants in open ground, before hard frosts — this group is markedly less hardy than small-leaved hebes. how ›
Months based on climate: UK. Your choice stays on this device.
- MarchLight feed as growth resumes. how ›
- MayLight trim before the new flowering season, once the previous year's flowerheads have faded. how ›
Months based on climate: Northern Italy. Your choice stays on this device.
Common problems
How to spot it. Blackened or defoliated growth after a hard frost — the main risk for this group.
What to do. Grow in a pot that can be moved to shelter in cold gardens, or site against a warm wall.
Popular varieties
Questions
Alpine hebe: is it hardy?
H4: Hardy through an average UK winter. It survives down to −10 °C.
Can it grow in a pot?
Hardy alpine/whipcord hebe: Does well in troughs and pots, though it's hardy enough for open ground in most UK gardens. Tender large-leaved hebe: A sensible choice in colder gardens, since it can be moved to a sheltered spot over winter.
Alpine hebe: when do you prune it?
Hardy alpine/whipcord hebe: Trim lightly in late spring, before the new season's flowers appear, to keep tight, compact mounds; avoid hard pruning into old wood, which many types won't reshoot from. In the calendar for UK, pruning falls in May. Tender large-leaved hebe: Trim lightly in late spring, before the new season's flowers appear, to keep compact; avoid hard pruning into old wood, which many types won't reshoot from. In the calendar for UK, pruning falls in May.
Alpine hebe: when does it flower?
Hardy alpine/whipcord hebe: In the climate of UK it flowers in June–August. Tender large-leaved hebe: In the climate of UK it flowers in July–October.
When do you feed it?
Hardy alpine/whipcord hebe: No feeding. The small-leaved alpine hebes want lean, sharply drained ground — fed, they grow loose and leafy, flower less and come through winter worse. Tender large-leaved hebe: At most a light spring feed on poor soil. As with the alpine kinds, soft well-fed growth is what the first hard frost destroys, and these are the less hardy of the two. Feeding months, UK: April.