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types of hebe shrubs

If you're looking to add year-round colour and texture to your garden, exploring the many types of hebe shrubs is a fantastic start. Hebes are a beloved classic in New Zealand gardens, thanks to their hardy nature, tidy growth habit, and beautiful flowers that attract pollinators. Whether you have a windswept coastal property or a shaded urban nook, there's a hebe variety perfectly suited to your landscape. In this guide, we'll introduce you to some of the most popular types of hebe shrubs, their unique features, and tips for using them in your garden design.

Hebe buxifolia (Boxleaf Hebe)

Hebe buxifolia is a NZ native shrub with glossy leaves that are green with yellow edges. These are adorned by masses of fragrant and showy, white flowers from spring through autumn as it grows to 1 m tall and 1.2 m wide.

Buy Hebe buxifolia (Boxleaf Hebe)

From $22.01

Suited to regions: All regions

Plant type: Shrubs

Height: 1.00 m

Spread: 1.20 m

Flowering time: Spring, Summer, Autumn

Tolerances: Coastal, Hardy, Wind

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

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

Hebe 'Marie Antoinette'

Hebe 'Marie Antoinette' is an attractive evergreen shrub featuring lush green foliage and soft pink flower spikes that bring elegant colour to NZ gardens. Flowering through summer, it creates a vibrant yet refined display while maintaining a neat and compact habit.

Buy Hebe 'Marie Antoinette'

From $22.01

Suited to regions: All regions

Plant type: Shrubs

Height: 75 cm

Spread: 75 cm

Flowering time: Summer, Autumn

Tolerances: Coastal, Hardy

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

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

Popular Types of Hebe Shrubs

Hebes come in a stunning range of shapes, sizes, and foliage colours. Here are some favourites to consider:

Hebe Catherine

With its striking green leaves edged in cream and purple-tinged new growth, Hebe Catherine is a standout for borders or container planting. This variety produces delicate lilac flowers in summer, adding a soft touch to both modern and cottage-style gardens.

Hebe elliptica (Shore Hebe)

A true coastal gem, Hebe elliptica (Shore Hebe) thrives in salt-laden winds and poor soils, making it ideal for exposed situations. It features glossy, paddle-shaped leaves and dense heads of pale mauve blooms. Shore Hebe is an excellent choice for native planting schemes and shelter belts.

Hebe Karo Golden Esk

If you're wanting foliage with year-round impact, Hebe Karo Golden Esk features vibrant yellow-green leaves that brighten any planting palette. In spring and summer, its clusters of white flowers attract bees and native insects, making it both beautiful and beneficial.

Hebe White Gem (Hebe brachysiphon White Gem)

The compact and tidy form of Hebe White Gem (Hebe brachysiphon White Gem) makes it a top pick for low hedging or front-of-border situations. This type of hebe shrub is prized for its profusion of pure white flowers, blooming over a long period, which contrast nicely with the rich green foliage.

Hebe stenophylla (Narrow-Leaved Hebe)

For those seeking a more contemporary or architectural look, Hebe stenophylla (Narrow-Leaved Hebe) is a great option. Its fine, linear leaves form an elegant, spreading groundcover, and the pale purple-blue flowers add subtle colour in late spring and summer.

How to Use Hebe Shrubs in Your Garden

The versatility of different types of hebe shrubs means you can use them in various ways. Low-growing varieties make excellent edging plants for paths and garden beds, while mid-sized hebes are ideal for informal hedges or structural planting amongst other native species. Taller, wind-resistant types excel as shelter or screening, particularly in exposed coastal gardens.

Growing and Caring for Hebe Shrubs

Most hebe shrubs prefer well-drained soil and a position in full sun to light shade. They're relatively low maintenance and respond well to trimming after flowering to encourage bushy growth. Hebes are drought-tolerant once established, and their resistance to coastal conditions makes them a top choice for sustainable, low-input gardens.

By choosing from the many types of hebe shrubs available, you can enjoy a robust, resilient, and colourful New Zealand garden that shines all year round.

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.

types of hebe shrubs

Hebe buxifolia (Boxleaf Hebe)

Hebe 'Marie Antoinette'

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