The hebe plant. Plant care hebe: growing outdoors and hibernation

Once referred to a species of veronica, the hebe plant was isolated in a separate genus. Both veronica and hebe are representatives of the same family of Noricks. These evergreen shrubs are divided into two groups. One combines not winter-resistant species, grown in pots and tubs. The second part included partly winter-hardy varieties.

The habit of hebe

Some confusion within the family led to confusion with the botanical names of two plants - veronica and hebe. However, despite this, it is reliably known that about 140 species of the plant belonging to the genus hebe are found in the territory of New Zealand and the Australian continent. In addition, the bushes are comfortable in the open spaces of South America and New Guinea.

Botanical description

Hebe has two life forms: spectacular dwarf shrubs and trees, reaching a seven-meter height. Small exotic shrubs are like conifers. Their leathery leaves look like needles of conifers. Flowering plant hebe in the summer. His flowers bloom in axillary vertical brushes. Color of flowers depends on the variety. They are painted in shades of white, blue and carmine red.

Tedious selection experiments have made it possible to derive excellent species of hebe. Popular among the gardeners hebe Anderson. It was possible to get the fame of the garden form of Variegata, which makes an impression of variegated leaves. Distribution and carmine-red species of shrubbery. Gardeners gladly grow Evelyn, Seduisant, which, because of their striking similarity, are often confused with callistemon.

Cultivation

In Russia, almost all varieties of shrubs are grown as a houseplant. The plant in the open ground can not withstand spring-autumn frosts and severe winters. In the garden, attempts are being made to grow only relatively low varieties belonging to the sixth zone.

The conditions of a snowless winter are not borne by every hebe. The plant in the open ground (wintering for it - a real severe test) may well die.

Gardeners are advised not to risk and grow a sissy as a container culture. In winter, the bush should be kept in a well-lit, cool place. He feels great in the winter gardens or on the glassed-in loggias, where the temperature is kept within 5-10 ⁰ С.

The plants try to keep the rest period until the spring days come. While the light day is short, they try not to allow its growth. If the bush suddenly rushes into growth, provide artificial lighting, preventing the stretching of shoots and loss of brightness of the color of the leaves.

In spring, when the period of severe frosts passes, the plants are taken out into the street. At the same time in the pots or pots leave the hebe bush. The plant in the open ground does not make sense. In autumn, the containers with hebe return to the winter garden.

Care

In the garden, on balconies and loggias for a heat-loving plant, a windless corner is chosen, well protected from adverse natural phenomena. The bushes sensitive to colds, when threatened with frost, are removed to warm rooms. The decorative plant hebe requires the same care as a lot of other evergreen shrubs, which for wintering are necessary premises, where it is quite cool.

In the summer, with an interval of two weeks, the bushes are fed. Calcined fertilizers are not suitable for feeding. Earth lump is maintained in a wet state, remembering that drought is intolerant to the hebe plant. Care for the bush still consists of daily spraying in the spring-summer period.

For the cultivation of beautifully flowering bushes, any soil is suitable. They develop well even on impoverished soils. But do not tolerate clay soil. Favorable temperature for the plant is considered to be + 20-22 ⁰ C. The heat adversely affects the bushes, their leaves fall and the flowering stops.

Hebe needs bright lighting. The bushes are not afraid of directly falling sun rays. However, they also grow beautifully in shaded corners. True, in the shade hebe is not capable of lush blossoming. In addition, shoots begin to stretch strongly even with light shading.

In the spring, the hebe plant must be transplanted. The bush is carefully removed from the container, trying not to damage the roots. Without shaking the earth, it is transplanted into a container of larger size. Peat, sand, charcoal are mixed with the planting soil. The bottom of the container is covered with expanded clay.

Reproduction

In the spring cuttings cut from the bushes, capable of rapid rooting. Rooted cuttings repeatedly plucked. As a result, a lush compact bush with an abundance of twigs is formed. Pinching does not affect the number of inflorescences.

Varieties

Indoor and conditionally horticultural crops are represented by hybrid varieties, derived as a result of crossing various types of shrubs. The bulk of them are united under the name of Hebe Anderson.

Currently among the gardeners an incredible popularity has acquired a hebe mix. The plant, according to the amateur gardeners, is sold in stores marked with Hebe mix labels. In addition, this kind of hebe offer to buy online stores.

In the description of the variety, the main characteristics inherent in the genus hebe are given. In fact, this is not a new grade. In the pot, just planted a mixture of varieties of plants. In a container with the same probability, there may be a hebe of one kind or several specimens of different types. If the bush in the pot alone, most likely, it was grown from a mixture of seeds of several varieties.