Botanical name:

Hebe topiaria

Common name(s): 

Hebe

About:

A compact ball-shaped shrub, known for its attractive form, grows up to 1 m in height and is typically found in the mountainous regions of the South Island, particularly from Canterbury northwards. This hardy shrub features small, glaucous leaves that lend it a distinct look, and its white flowers make their appearance during the early summer months, although they are seldom abundant in warmer areas. The plant species H. topiaria can be clipped and creatively used as low hedging, but due to its naturally tight growth habit, regular pruning is usually unnecessary. Additionally, it serves as an excellent specimen, providing a beautiful focal point in gardens, or as a contrast plant against other types of foliage, enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal of outdoor spaces.

Natural habitat:

It grows in shrub-land and tussock grassland above the tree-line. It can be one of the dominant species in some shrub-land associations.

Growing environment:

Frost, Sun, Salt, Wind, Coastal & Free draining tolerant.

Endemic distribution:

New Zealand’s Northern South Island, from near Boulder Lake in the northwest to Amuri Pass and the Poplars Range in the south, and as far east as the Richmond Range.

Height: 1m

Flowering:
(December-) January-February (-April) with a white coloured flower/s.

Fruiting: February-May

Uses:

Bird food / Attractant, Bee food, Riparian plantings, Pioneer Plantings, Hedging & Flowers.

How to grow:

Easily grown from fresh seed, semi hardwood cuttings & layering.

** Seed germinates without pre treatment. Sow seeds direct & keep moist until germination is complete.