Name: The Plant Company
Address: 284 Meeanee Road, Meeanee, Napier, 4112, New Zealand
Telephone: 0800 843 752
Price range: Contact Us
Rating: 4.8/5

hebe totara blue

Looking for a vibrant, hardy shrub to brighten up your garden? Hebe totara blue is a standout New Zealand native with lush, blue-green foliage and an easy-care nature that makes it perfect for both novice and seasoned gardeners. This compact evergreen is prized for its ornamental value, offering year-round colour and texture. Whether you're refreshing a coastal site, creating a low-maintenance border, or looking for pollinator-friendly plants, Hebe totara blue delivers with versatility and visual appeal.

Podocarpus Matapouri Blue (Blue Tōtara)

Podocarpus ‘Matapouri Blue’, also known as Blue Totara, is a stunning New Zealand native tree prized for its striking blue-green foliage and tidy growth habit. It makes an exceptional feature or screening plant that brings colour and texture to the garden all year round. Highly adaptable and low-maintenance, this variety performs beautifully in both coastal and inland gardens, adding structure and elegance to any landscape design.

Buy Podocarpus Matapouri Blue (Blue Tōtara)

From $29.63

Suited to regions: All regions

Plant type: Trees

Height: 10.00 m

Spread: 5.00 m

Tolerances: Coastal, Extended dry periods, Hardy, Wind

Garden uses: Hedging, Parks, Screening, Specimen

Garden styles: Alpine, Architectural, Backyard, City & Courtyard, Coastal, Formal, Frontyard, Japanese, Mediterranean, Modern, Native

Hebe 'Red Edge'

Hebe 'Red Edge' is a compact evergreen shrub known for its distinctive foliage with red tinged edges that intensify in cooler weather, adding year round interest to NZ gardens. Small white to pale lilac flowers appear through summer, complementing the colourful leaves. Easy to grow and very hardy, this variety is ideal for borders, rock gardens, and coastal plantings where colour, texture, and structure are desired.

Buy Hebe 'Red Edge'

From $20.18

Suited to regions: All regions

Plant type: Shrubs

Height: 60 cm

Spread: 60 cm

Flowering time: Summer, Autumn

Tolerances: Coastal, Hardy, Wind

Garden uses: Borders, Containers, Living areas, Paths & Steps, Patios, Ponds, Pool areas

Garden styles: Alpine, Architectural, Backyard, City & Courtyard, Coastal, Frontyard, Japanese, Mediterranean, Modern, Native, Rock

Features and Appearance

Hebe totara blue is renowned for its dense, bushy growth and fine, totara-like leaves. The foliage brings a unique blue tint to garden compositions, which remains striking even in winter. This hebe variety matures into a tidy mound, typically reaching about a metre in height and width. In summer, delicate pale lilac flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects, enhancing both the beauty and biodiversity of your landscape.

Ideal Growing Conditions

This resilient shrub thrives in well-drained soils and enjoys a sunny or lightly shaded spot. Hebe totara blue is tolerant of coastal winds and mild frost, making it a top choice for exposed gardens throughout New Zealand. It’s also drought tolerant once established, minimal in maintenance, and requires only occasional trimming to keep its shape.

Uses in Garden Design

Thanks to its compact habit and striking foliage, Hebe totara blue is excellent for hedging, mass planting, or mixing with other natives in small gardens. It lends itself well to modern landscape schemes and classic native plantings alike. For a harmonious pairing, consider planting Hebe totara blue alongside other hebes such as Hebe Red Edge (Hebe albicans Red Edge), Hebe Wiri Image, or Hebe Margret. These popular cultivars compliment totara blue with their varying flower colours and leaf textures, providing year-round interest.

Native Inspiration and Related Varieties

If you’re keen on New Zealand natives with blue-toned foliage, Podocarpus Matapouri Blue (Blue Tōtara) is another outstanding choice. Its fine, silver-blue leaves echo the colour palette of Hebe totara blue and bring a graceful structure to larger gardens and landscapes. For those looking to plant a classic native tree, Podocarpus totara offers traditional beauty and ecological benefits, supporting local birdlife.

Care Tips for Hebe totara blue

Keep Hebe totara blue at its best by planting in free-draining soil and avoiding overly wet conditions. Mulching around the base can help retain moisture and suppress weeds. While it’s generally resistant to most pests and diseases, pruning out any dead wood in late winter will encourage new growth and maintain a dense, attractive shape. A light feed with slow-release native plant fertiliser in spring can give an extra boost.

Enhance Your Garden with Hebe totara blue

Whether you’re seeking a stylish border, a hardy low hedge, or a way to enrich your native garden, Hebe totara blue makes an excellent choice. Its adaptability, colourful foliage, and low upkeep guarantee lasting satisfaction for gardeners throughout New Zealand. Pair it with other native hebes and blue-leaved podocarps for a truly local, beautiful landscape.

Contact us

Whether you need assistance finding the plant you’re looking for or you simply want to know more about who we are and what we do, we invite you to get in touch with us today. A member of The Plant Company team will get back in touch as soon as possible.