Hebes Plant – How to Grow and Care Guide

What it lacks in popularity, hebes makes up for in opportunity. Hebe plant is a stunning, shrub growing species with over 90 different evergreen varieties. 

This long-flowering plant is an ideal option for a range of garden settings, and although it can be short-lived, it requires very little care in the right conditions.

Bold and bee-friendly, the hebe plant is a great way to celebrate the spring in your garden. Here is everything you’ll need to know to cultivate, care for, and grow hebe plant.

What are Hebes? 

Hebes are a range of garden plants that are often unrecognized gems in the garden. Native to New Zealand and Australia, most cultivars of the 90 hebe plant species are incredibly hardy and suitable for growth in a range of climates. 

Hebe plants are incredibly long flowering, starting in late Autumn and blooming long into the spring. Each cultivar has curiously unique leaves ranging in colour from dark green, to purple, to pink with some variegated varieties. 

Hebe plants are suitable to be grown directly in the soil, in a pot or raised bed. Hebe plant can be grown around borders, as a ground cover or a low-growing hedge. 

Although named after the Greek Goddess of Youth, most cultivars have a surprisingly short lifespan. Luckily, however, they are fairly easy to propagate.

Popular Hebes Varieties to Grow

How to Grow Hebes

While the hebe plant doesn’t need overly rich soil, it is advised to plant your hebes in a spot or pot with moist, well-draining soil. Overly rich soils can often lead to leggy and lax growth, so there is no need to prepare the soil before planting. 

Hebe's roots are also incredibly salt-tolerant, which means it’s suitable for growth in coastal regions. Grow your plants in a sheltered spot with full sun. Most species can tolerate partial sun. 

However, it can affect flower growth. Especially in regions that experience cold winters, it is advised to shelter your plants from cold winds. 

Planting your hebes near a South or West facing wall is often ideal. 

Planting Hebes

Late spring is the ideal time to plant hebes, and your soil will not require any prior treatment before planting. 

If growing from an established plant, you can simply:

• Dig a hole that is equally as deep and wide as the pot in which it was bought. 
• Remove the plant from its plant, gently loosening the roots. 
• Place the root ball into the hole, ensuring the top of the root ball sits at the same depth as it was in the pot. 
• Backfill with soil and water well until established.

The same process can be used for replanting in pots. If growing in pots, it is advisable to choose a more compact, slower-spreading variety.

Planting Hebes in Pots

When using pots, fill it up with soil and make sure that you are going to place the pots in areas where it is bright and warm. You also need to make sure that you are watering them during their first season of growing.

Once the growing season is over, the hebes will start developing roots that will stretch down through the soil in your pot.

Planting Younger Hebes

For younger hebes they should be potted during the spring season. You need to make sure that they are planted at the same depth when planting them in the soil.

You may also add compost or any organic matter to help promote a healthy growth for your hebes.

Taking a cutting is a great way to propagate new plants when your older ones start dying off. Cutting should be taken between July and September.

Here is what you’ll need to do: 

• Remove a shoot from a non-flowering stem. Ensure the shoot is healthy and free from any disease or pests. 
• Remove leaves around the lower part of the cutting. 
• Prepare a smaller pot with a peat-free compost mixture. If you prefer, you can dip the end of the stem into a rooting hormone. (See our reviews on the best rooting hormones for 2023.)
• Once planted, water well and cover with a plastic bag or mini-greenhouse. This will help to retain moisture and encourage new growth. 
• The covers can be removed, and your cutting can be re-planted once new growth appears. 

Caring for Hebe Plant

Other than keeping the soil moist and annual pruning, your hebe plant won’t require too much additional care. The most important care instruction is to deadhead flowers back as much as a 1/3 once they begin to wither.

Deadheading flowers will help to promote heavy flowering for the next season. Pruning in late summer can also be done to help maintain shape and extend the life of your hebe plant.

(The best hedge trimmer will be quite helpful in this task.) 

Frost damaged leaves should also be cut away if and when affected by the cold weather.

Fertilizing Hebes 

Avoid fertilizing your hebe plant. Fertilizing can cause them to grow too fast and leave you with drab weak foliage.

Cutting Your Hebes During Summer

Hebes don’t have a long life, and they can usually last five years or a maximum of 10 years. This is the reason why cutting them during summer is essential.

You can do this by taking off newer shoots with about 3 inches in length so you can start trimming them below the joint of the leaf.

The lower leaves should be stripped off and plunged the two-thirds into a gritty mixture compost or a horticultural coarse sand.

You can start cutting the roots quickly and pot them again in September. You need to make sure that you kept them somewhere that is frost free until the next spring season.

Common Hebe Plant Pests & Diseases

These plants are not often affected by pests or diseases. The most common issue comes from extreme frost or cold drafts. 

In areas with poor air circulation or too much humidity, downy mildew can become a problem. Ensure your soil is well-draining and if grown indoors, get sufficient fresh air. 

Larger leaves can develop dark leaf spots in damp, cold winters. Again it’s important to ensure good air circulation and well-draining soil. 

Some gardeners also note yellowing leaves as an occasional issue. This is most often due to too much or too little watering. 

Are you looking for other hedging plants? Take a look at our Beech Hedging guide here. 

Start Showing Hebes Some Real Appreciation!

This underappreciated plant is a great choice to add colour, texture and a little bit of excitement to your garden. If you’re looking for a great new garden plant that won’t require too much to establish, consider growing Hebes today.