Question
Over the last two winters all the hebe shrubs in our area (Moray)have died back quite considerably, and many have now actually died altogether.  Being hardy shrubs and usually standing up to hard weather, we wondered if there was some disease that is actually killing them off and not the weather.I hpe you can answer this query.  Thank you.

Answer
Dear Jean,

Howdy I'm "Coach Dave" and I work for The Home Depot and plants are my area of expertise. Hebe or
"salicifolia" as it's also generally known are very hardy. However even the most hardy plants have a weakness of some kind.

I've found that an extended cold period can produce a humongous fungus among us. Pruning Hebe's can help them spring back with dense and thick flowers. I usually trim off all I can and spray the remainder with a fungicide like "Bonides" Mancozeb or something comparable.


Here are some facts about Hebe's to help keep your Hebe's happy.

The larger the leaf, the more vulnerable the Hebe is to frost damage.

Hebe's prefer well-drained, slightly acidic soils.

Hebe's are great for landscape or in mixed container planting

They stress under humidity, but love the sun and wind. They can tolerate the cruelest wind conditions.

When flowering, Hebes attract butterflies which everyone loves.

Hebe's reproduce easily from seed, softwood cuttings or layering.

I hope this helps you in your gardening,

Yours Respectfully,

Coach Dave