Online source for hebes in the U.S.

[Jefffooz]

I have recently discovered hebes (New Zealand flame bush), and I am wondering if there is an online source for it in the United States.

Thanks

Jeff

[Pam - gardengal]

You can find some at ForestFarm and a few more at Heronswood, but the largest selection will be available at west coast retail nurseries.

pam - gardengal

[Zemedelec]

Re: Online source for hebes in the U.S.

Since Hebe is the goddess of pleasure, I'm dying to know how to get hold of a few of her clones--I think they would settle in nicely in New Orleans. zemedelec

[IntarsiaCo]

Join NARGS (North American Rock Garden Society). Hebe species are usually available on the seed list as wild and/or garden collected seed. Plants may be available from Arrowhead Nursery or Siskiyou Rare Plant Nursery

[Janet Baraclough..]

The message from [e-mail] (Zemedelec) contains these words:

Now there's an(other) addictive plant. Hebes thrive in mild coastal areas, the (mostly) evergreen leaves are tough, wind and salt-proof and the flowering period is long. Some I grow mainly as a cushion of foliage, like "Red Edge" (glaucous blue-green leaves with a fine red edge) and Pink Elephant, cream green and pink leaves. Others have dark purple leaves (Mrs Winder, Alicia Amherst), others a rich shining dark green. Some I grow for their handsome four or five inch flower spikes in brilliant shades of pink, magenta, purple and blue. Some are much daintier, such as Nicola's Blush, inch long pink and white flower heads so dense they hide the foliage. The roundy moundy "cloud" shapes of hebe bushes look good set against spiky foliage plants such as New Zealand Flax (phormium) or fine grasses.

They grow so easily and fast from cuttings, that's a failsafe way to multiply favourites. Lots of people here grow them as boundary hedges (shearing just makes them bushier and more floriferous the next year). Plant stalls at fetes and jumble sales invariably include a selection of potted hebe cuttings, usually nameless and too small to flower, and I can never resist taking them home in case it's some lovely form I haven't got.

Janet (Isle of Arran, Scotland).

[Pam - gardengal]

Janet, I too, am particulalry fond of hebes. They grow very well here in the PNW, but I think are much less common in other parts of the US - I've not even seen too many different ones offered in California, which seems to have a preponderance of other plants originating from NZ.

'Nicola's Blush' is my current fave and I'm not even a fan of pink flowers! It is just such a strong performer with such a long lasting bloom period. I grow all of the others you mention as well as a number of the cupressoides and the variegated cultivars of speciosa. Even with last year's awful winter - one of the worst we've had in some time - my 'Amy' bloomed right through the snow and cold in January. Great container plants, too.

pam - gardengal

[paghat]

This year I planted a variegated H. speciosa which has loved the nasty hot summer with only moderate watering. The seller warned it might not survive the winter, & when I looked it up on line, some mixed advice, but many saying it doesn't like even zone 8 winters; & on one of Cisco's local shows, he says his dies every winter but he always plants another for each year (which I wouldn't like to do). I'm really counting on this not being all that tender, & that it will not be bothered by winter in an enclosed unwindy sunny spot, in a raised bed that drains utterly, as I want it in the garden for years to come.

Of my few hebes, the oddest is Hebe ochracea, or whipcord hebe, which looks rather like a dwarf cypress. It never bloomed until this year -- then all it had were teency white flowers of little consequence. Even so, as an imitation of a needled evergreen it's just cool.

-paghat the ratgirl

[Pam - gardengal]

cupressoides

Keep your fingers crossed! The variegated speciosas are NOT reliably hardy here, although the University Village Mall has a number in container plantings that have lived through a couple of our winters. And I managed to hang on to mine this past winter, although it started the season looking less than wonderful. It was pretty leggy with foliage clustered only at the ends of the branches. I cut it back hard and it responded with a lot of new growth and is now looking quite full and lush. As with a number of other plants from NZ, I believe it is our wet winters that does them in rather than the cold - if you can provide really good drainage (and some reflected heat wont hurt), its chances of winter survival will be much better.

I also grow the ochracea 'James Sterling', which can get to be a pretty good sized plant in time. It is truly a conversation piece. Visitors to my garden always want to know what that odd looking gold juniper is and then when it flowers they are really confused! 'Boughton Dome' is another of similar appearance - looks very much like a form of dwarf Chamaecyparis.

FYI, my hebe mentor provided this little tip: the broader and larger the leaves, the more tender the hebe tends to be. That would indicate that any of the speciosas (including 'Varieagata', Tricolor' and the dark-leaved clones like 'Amy' and 'Alicia Amherst') may need additional protection in our cliamte.

pam - gardengal

[Janet Baraclough..]

The message from "Pam - gardengal" contains these words:

Good tip Pam, thanks. I knew Alicia Amherst is a bit delicate (she survived -3 C last winter in a well drained bed, planted with plenty of grit).So many of my others came with no names it's good to know which I really need to keep spare cuttings of in a cold frame.

Janet.