Hebe 'Pagei'

Sun

Full sun to light partial shade; best foliage colour and flowering in sun. Give it some afternoon shade in hot inland gardens.

Water

Water regularly while establishing, then during prolonged dry spells. Established plants tolerate some drought but dislike persistently wet roots.

Soil

Well-drained soil of average to modest fertility, from slightly acidic to alkaline. Avoid heavy, waterlogged ground.

Height

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m)

Spread

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Flowers

Short clusters of white flowers in late spring and early summer.

Foliage

Evergreen. Small, rounded to oval, slightly fleshy silver-grey leaves held in opposite pairs on spreading branches.

Growth

Slow to moderate

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Drought tolerant
• Low allergen

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

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

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

1. Planting day

   1.2 ft (0.38 m)

   full size

About 7 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

Slow

• Water deeply during the first growing season, allowing the soil surface to dry between waterings.
• Plant on a raised mound or in a raised bed if your soil stays wet in winter.
• Feed lightly in spring only if growth is weak; avoid high-nitrogen fertilisers.
• Keep mulch clear of the woody base; a shallow gravel mulch suits well-drained sites.
• Choose a position sheltered from severe cold winds, especially near the colder end of its range.

Pruning. Lightly trim after flowering to keep the mound compact, cutting back only into leafy growth. Remove frost-damaged shoots in spring once new growth shows which stems are alive; avoid hard cuts into bare old wood.

Spring

Plant once severe frost has passed, and water thoroughly.

Mid-spring

Check for winter damage and remove dead shoots back to healthy growth.

Early summer

Lightly trim after the flowers fade if the plant needs shaping.

Summer

Water young plants during dry weather and check containers frequently.

Late summer

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

Autumn

Clear fallen leaves from the mound and check that water drains freely around the roots.

Winter

Protect exposed plants during exceptional cold and keep container drainage holes clear.

• Edge sunny paths with low silver-grey mounds that remain leafy through winter.
• Plant among rocks and gravel with dwarf conifers and creeping thyme for contrasting textures.
• Use in the foreground of coastal borders with lavender and compact ornamental grasses.
• Grow in a broad container with drainage holes for year-round foliage near a doorway or patio.

Garden styles it suits: Coastal, Dry gravel garden, Low-maintenance, Small-space, Blues and silvers and Winter interest.

Plant it with: Lavender, Creeping thyme, Sea thrift, Blue fescue, Rock rose and Dwarf mountain pine.

Wildlife: The flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees and other visiting insects.

• Root rot in wet soil: improve drainage or move to a raised bed; do not keep the root zone constantly saturated.
• Frost scorch and shoot dieback: provide shelter from cold winds and prune damaged growth in spring, not immediately after a freeze.
• Aphids on young shoots: wash off small colonies with water and encourage natural predators.
• Leggy growth or a bare centre: provide more sun and trim lightly after flowering; replace badly bare plants rather than cutting hard into old wood.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. Specific information for this cultivar is limited, and no part should be treated as food.

• Rakai hebe (Veronica rakaiensis)

  Has greener leaves and usually forms a taller, more upright rounded shrub rather than a low silver-grey spread.

• White hebe (Veronica albicans)

  Also has pale grey-green leaves and white flowers, but usually forms a taller, more upright mound than 'Pagei'.

Hebe is named for the Greek goddess of youth, while pinguifolia means fat-leaved, referring to the thick, fleshy leaves.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings in mid- to late summer, remove the lower leaves and root in a free-draining propagation mix under cover. Cuttings preserve the cultivar; seedlings may not resemble it.

Accepted botanical name

Veronica pinguifolia Hebe pinguifolia 'Pagei' is an older name for Veronica pinguifolia.

Native range

New Zealand South.

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