Hebe or Veronica bush - Everything about this plant

Hebe or veronica is a shrub with an extraordinary inflorescence, which due to its ease of care is an excellent candidate for low-maintenance gardens. Its ornamental appeal lies not only in its curious flowers, but also in its leaves, which can be green or variegated.

The origin of this precious shrub is New Zealand, it is evergreen and can reach 50 cm in height and the same width dimension. It is a good plant to be used as a path delimiter, to form small fences or to have in a pot decorating the balcony or patio.

Let's see below what are the most important care you should have to keep your veronica bushes strong and beautiful.

Necessary care for the cultivation of hebes

• Soil: It adapts to all types of floors without any problem. The only condition is that the soil is well drained and in winter keep the soil moist. The plant must be paid every 15 days until the beginning of summer.

• Pruning: Hebe bushes need pruning, one of the most important is maintenance and cleaning, which must be done annually. It is also a technique that can be used to rejuvenate if the bush is somewhat old. And of course you can do a pruning to give this bush the shape you want.

• Lighting: exposure must be sunny, although some species resist light shade. It is convenient to place them in sheltered places since they are not cold resistant plants.

• Sowing: The sowing of the veronica can be done from October to February, directly in the pots or in a seedbed to transplant.

• Irrigation: In winter it will be enough to keep the soil slightly humid, while in summer it should be watered more frequently but avoiding puddles.

• Temperature: it is a plant that does not resist cold. It suffers every time the temperatures drop below 10 ° C. If you have it in a pot better protect it in winter.

• Fertilization: From the appearance of the spikes and during the summer add a mineral fertilizer mixed with irrigation every 15 days.

• Multiplication: can be multiplied by division of plants from spring to fall. It can also be made from seeds planted under glass in the spring.

• Diseases: It is not a plant prone to pests, but excessive humidity can lead to the appearance of fungi such as mildew or powdery mildew. If this happens it is best to combat it with a fungicide.

Curiosities of the veronica bush

To close this short article, let's review two curiosities about this shrub, which I read around there and they caught my attention. You will tell me if they also surprise you. ;)

The Hebes flowers are a great attraction for pollinating animals such as bees or butterflies. So in spring you will see it covered in these insects to drink some of its nectar.

The name hebe comes from Greek mythology, which describes Hebe as the goddess of youth, daughter of Zeus and Hera, she had the virtue of rejuvenating the elderly and aging the young so that they would know maturity.

And with this we end this article. I hope you liked it, if so, you can leave a comment and / or share it on your networks. :)

More information:

-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebe_(plant)