Hebe Mrs Winder

Sun

Full sun to light partial shade; foliage colour and flowering are usually best in sun.

Water

Water regularly while establishing; once established, water during prolonged dry spells. Avoid persistently wet roots.

Soil

Well-drained soil, preferably moderately fertile; tolerates a range of soil pH but struggles in waterlogged clay.

Height

3-5 ft (0.9-1.5 m)

Spread

3-5 ft (0.9-1.5 m)

Flowers

Short spikes of violet-purple flowers in late summer and autumn; flowering varies with climate and growing conditions.

Foliage

Small, narrow, pointed evergreen leaves, dark green with bronze-purple colouring on young growth and in winter.

Growth

Moderate

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Hard

Toughness

Needs looking after

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   2.1 ft (0.64 m)

3. After 2 years

   2.6 ft (0.78 m)

4. After 3 years

   3 ft (0.92 m)

5. After 5 years

   4 ft (1.2 m)

   full size

About 5 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Moderate

• Plant in spring in colder areas, choosing a sheltered site away from drying winter winds.
• Water deeply during the first growing season whenever the root zone begins to dry.
• Apply a thin mulch in spring, keeping it clear of the stems.
• Feed lightly in spring only if growth is weak; avoid heavy nitrogen feeding.
• Protect young plants with horticultural fleece during severe frost, and shelter containers from prolonged freezing.

Pruning. In spring, once the risk of hard frost has passed, remove frost-damaged tips and lightly shorten straggly shoots to leafy growth. Avoid cutting hard into bare old wood, which may not regrow.

Spring

Plant in a sheltered, freely draining position and water thoroughly.

Mid-spring

Remove winter-damaged growth once new shoots show which stems are alive.

Late spring

Renew mulch and give a light feed only if needed.

Summer

Water young plants during dry weather; check containers more frequently.

Late summer

Take semi-ripe cuttings from healthy, non-flowering shoots.

Autumn

Check drainage and avoid pruning that would encourage tender new growth.

Winter

Protect against severe frost and keep container drainage holes clear.

• Use near the front or middle of a mixed border for evergreen structure and dark winter foliage.
• Plant with lavender, rosemary and rock roses in a sunny, well-drained coastal border.
• Repeat plants along a path as a loose, low evergreen boundary rather than a tightly clipped hedge.
• Grow in a large, well-drained container in a sheltered courtyard, where its winter leaf colour is easy to see.

Garden styles it suits: Coastal, Dry gravel garden, Low-maintenance, Winter interest, Modern courtyard and Pacific Northwest woodland.

Plant it with: Lavender, Rosemary, Rock rose, Blue fescue, Bergenia and Stonecrop.

Wildlife: Flowers provide nectar for bees and other visiting insects when the shrub blooms.

• Root rot in wet soil: improve drainage before planting, avoid low spots and do not leave pots standing in water.
• Frost and wind scorch: choose a sheltered site, protect during severe freezes and wait until spring before removing damaged growth.
• Leaf spot: remove badly affected leaves, clear fallen debris and improve airflow; water the soil rather than the foliage.
• Leggy growth and a bare centre: provide more sun and trim lightly each spring; replace very woody plants rather than cutting them back hard.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. No particular part is recognised as poisonous, but it is not an edible plant and should not be offered as animal feed.

• Hebe Red Edge (Hebe 'Red Edge')

  Has shorter, broader grey-green leaves with conspicuous pink-red margins, rather than the narrow, dark leaves of 'Mrs Winder'.

• Hebe Autumn Glory (Hebe 'Autumn Glory')

  Usually forms a lower, more compact mound with broader, glossy green leaves; 'Mrs Winder' is more upright and develops stronger bronze-purple foliage tones.

Hebe is named after the Greek goddess of youth.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings in late summer, remove the lower leaves and root them in a free-draining propagation mix under cover. Cuttings preserve the cultivar; seedlings will not reliably come true.

Accepted botanical name

Veronica Hebe 'Mrs Winder' is an older name for Veronica.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.