Re: Re. Hebes
Glenn Breayley wrote:
>
> Hi All
> This is a line I do commercially here in the Cape. There's definitely a wide
> range with differing watering requirements - all require additional summer
> water, some more than others.
> The problem with recommending varieties is that the names don't seem to have
> moved with the mother stock around the world too succesfully. Plants I've
> seen in English books, for instance, don't look too much like what I have
> with the same label here.
> In general stay away from the more oval, fleshy leaved, varieties. I think
> many of them are derived from H. speciosa or its hybrids. Names like 'Blue
> Gem', ' Pink Pearl' & 'Simon de Leaux ' come to mind. The hardier ones for
> me here have the small, scale like, leaves. Hebe diosmifolia is mildly
> drought hardy & theres a couple of smaller bushes by the names of 'Rosie' &
> 'Summertime Beauty'
> which are quite good as well. Probably the toughest is H.'Great Orme'. Gets
> up to 2m with pink Autumn flowers & once established could get by on a
> biweekly dripline soaking.
> Note - they survive on minimal watering, but get woody & don't thrive.
>
> Theres only a limited range available here so theres probably a lot more out
> there which are more suitable. Hebe pinquifolia comes to mind, though it
> doesn't flower so well for me. I've not tried any of the whipcord hebes such
> as H. cuppressoides. Some of those are very tough & attractive little
> foliage plants. If you could find some they'd probably the drought hardiest
> of the lot.
Hi Glenn
There must be a lot of Hebe breeding being done in Europe or somewhere
else, as most of the cultivars you mention are unknown to us here. I
have seen 'Great Orm', for instance, mentioned a few times in overseas
lists but here it doesn't get an entry even in our latest and most
authoritative accounts.
I support your contention that the Hebes with the broader and larger
leaves need the most water and unlike most of the small-leaved forms,
(which prefer their air at least on the dry side) tolerate humid summer
conditions pretty well. They are also mostly among the least hardy and
would probably be damaged by any frost heavier than about -5 centigrade.
Whipcord varieties in contrast, being the most hardy (they are almost
all montaine or sub-montaine dwellers in nature) do not like hot summer
temperatures and within NZ are recommended only for the cooler
districts. Even around the Wellington area for instance, where temps
almost never go much over 30 C, they tend to be short-lived. Their other
hate is for humid conditions, though the odd species will survive damp
air if in very well-drained soil. I am sure they would be quite
drought-proof in areas with the cool dry summer of their mountain
homes..
Moira
--
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata (near Wellington, capital city of New Zealand)
