Is this a Hebe?

Herb · Post by **Herb** » Jun 11, 2007 10:40 pm

I've got used to seeing this shrub when I'm out for a walk. Until today I've always assumed it was some sort of conifer because it was always uniformly green. It's around 6 feet high and at least 4 feet wide.

But today I was surprised to see it half covered in small, pale blue flowers, so now I think it can't be a conifer.

The only thing I can think of is that it's some form of Hebe. Is that what it is & if it is, does anybody recognise which variety? Or is it something else?

whis4ey · Post by **whis4ey** » Jun 12, 2007 4:31 am

Even without the benefit of a closer look at the leaves Bert I do think that is a form of small leafed hebe. As to actual variety I am unsure, but it looks like the very small leafed oen which I use in my Japanese Garden (3 together grow into a beautiful ball shape). Mine is beginning to flower now as we speak

Herb · Post by **Herb** » Jun 12, 2007 2:24 pm

Thanks, Sam. You got my curiosity going on Hebes & I just found this site that makes me want to grow more of them. I like the ones I have now but they keep growing relentlessly & a lot of those shown on this site seem to be more limited in size & that would save me a lot of work.... -

http://www.hebesoc.org/Plants/Plants.htm

Bert

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Jun 12, 2007 3:18 pm

Interesting. I've never seen one of those. So it didn't have buds that you noticed yesterday?

whis4ey · Post by **whis4ey** » Jun 12, 2007 3:26 pm

Amazing number of hebes there Bert
Too many for me to look through
I must try to find the name of the one I use .....

Tigger · Post by **Tigger** » Jun 12, 2007 3:45 pm

[making introductions]
"Herb, Hebe. Hebe, Herb."

(I couldn't resist)

Herb · Post by **Herb** » Jun 12, 2007 7:21 pm

Wishiwere - I don't recall seeing any buds, but I didn't examine it closely.

Tigger – That reminds me of a song I heard many years ago -

"I'm a Gnu,
How do you do."

All - here's a picture our newest Hebe that my wife bought 2 years ago -

whis4ey · Post by **whis4ey** » Jun 13, 2007 4:40 am

That is not a hebe Herb

Herb · Post by **Herb** » Jun 13, 2007 1:20 pm

Sam,

All I know about it is that my wife got it from a supermarket & she says it was just labelled 'Hebe'.

But I think it looks rather like the Hebe annulata shown
here -

http://www.hebesoc.org/Hebes/Hebes_A/He ... nulata.htm

Or were you just following Tigger's 'Herb meets Hebe' line?

Bert

whis4ey · Post by **whis4ey** » Jun 13, 2007 2:44 pm

I have to admit that it does Bert
To me it looks more like some form of small conifer of some sort
I have been growing hebes for more than 35 years and have never seen one that looked like that before
Ah well ... 'ye live an lern'