Hebe Red Edge

Sun

Full sun to light partial shade; give some afternoon shade in hot climates.

Water

Moderate; water regularly while establishing, then during prolonged dry spells. Avoid persistently wet roots.

Soil

Well-drained soil, preferably moderately fertile; tolerates sandy, chalky and loamy soils but dislikes heavy, waterlogged ground.

Height

1.5-2 ft (0.45-0.6 m)

Spread

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Flowers

Early to midsummer; short spikes of pale lilac flowers fading towards white.

Foliage

Evergreen. Small, oval, grey-green leaves in opposite pairs, with narrow red margins that become more noticeable in cool weather.

Growth

Slow to moderate

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Low allergen

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

Difficulty

Moderate

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

   1.7 ft (0.5 m)

3. After 2 years

   1.7 ft (0.51 m)

4. After 3 years

   1.7 ft (0.51 m)

5. After 5 years

   1.7 ft (0.52 m)

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 where winter rain drains away freely; use a pot with drainage holes for container growing.
• Apply a light dressing of balanced fertiliser in spring only if growth is weak; avoid heavy feeding.
• Keep mulch away from the stems and crown.
• Shelter from cold, drying winds; move pots to a sheltered position during severe freezes.

Pruning. Lightly trim after flowering to keep the shrub compact, cutting 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 in freely draining soil after severe frost risk has passed.

Mid-spring

Remove winter-damaged shoots once new growth is visible; feed lightly if needed.

Summer

Water new plants and containers during dry weather without leaving the roots saturated.

After flowering

Trim lightly to maintain a rounded shape.

Late summer

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

Winter

Check drainage and protect container plants from prolonged freezing and cold winds.

• Repeat along the front of a sunny border for a low, rounded evergreen rhythm.
• Combine with lavender, grasses and sedums in a well-drained gravel garden.
• Use in a container beside steps or a doorway for year-round foliage.
• Plant in sheltered coastal borders with other low, wind-tolerant shrubs.

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

Plant it with: Lavender, Santolina, Blue fescue, Creeping thyme, Stonecrop and Rock rose.

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

• Root rot in wet soil: improve drainage or grow in a raised bed or container; do not keep watering already wet soil.
• Frost scorch and shoot dieback: provide shelter and wait until spring growth starts before cutting back damaged stems.
• Aphids on soft shoots: wash off small colonies with water and encourage natural predators.
• Sparse, woody growth after hard pruning: trim lightly and regularly rather than cutting into leafless stems; replace plants that fail to regrow.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. No particular toxic part is recognised, but it is not an edible plant and cultivar-specific toxicity information is limited.

• Hebe 'Pagei' (Hebe pinguifolia 'Pagei')

  Forms a lower, spreading mound with silvery-grey leaves and white flowers; it lacks the characteristic red leaf margins.

• White hebe (Hebe albicans)

  Also has small grey-green leaves, but normally lacks the consistent red edging and bears white rather than pale lilac flowers.

Hebe is named after the Greek goddess of youth, while 'Red Edge' describes the red margins of its leaves.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings in late summer and root them in a free-draining medium under cover. Seed will not reliably produce plants identical to 'Red Edge'.

Accepted botanical name

Veronica Hebe 'Red Edge' is an older name for Veronica.

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