Hebe (plant)

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iHebe

Hebe speciosa showing leaf patterning and inflorescence

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Plantaginaceae
Genus:	Hebe

Species

See text

Hebe is a genus of plants native to New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Rapa Nui, the Falkland Islands, and South America. There are over 100 species of Hebe, of which 90 occur in New Zealand. Of the 90 present in New Zealand, only H. salicifolia and H. elliptica extend beyond that nation, the remainder being endemic. They are named after the Greek goddess of youth, Hebe. The genus is included in the related genus Veronica by some botanists.

Hebe has four perpendicular rows of leaves in opposite decussate pairs. The flowers are perfect, the corolla has four slightly unequal lobes, the flower has two stamens and a long style. Flowers are arranged in a spiked inflorescence. Identification of Hebe species is difficult, especially if they are not in flower. The plants range in size from dwarf shrubs to small trees up to 7 metres, and are distributed from coastal to alpine ecosystems. Large-leaved species are normally found on the coast, in lowland scrub and along forest margins. At higher altitudes smaller-leaved species grow, and in alpine areas there are whipcord species with leaves reduced to thick scales.

Hebes are grown in many gardens and public areas; they attract butterflies. Hebes cope with most soil types, and can be propagated easily from both seed and cuttings. Wild Hebe hybrids are uncommon; however, there are many cultivated hybrids, such as Hebe × franciscana.