Hebe

Hebe is a genus of plants native to New Zealand, Rapa in French Polynesia, the Falkland Islands, and South America. It includes about 90 species and is the largest plant genus in New Zealand. Apart from H. rapensis (endemic to Rapa), all species occur in New Zealand. This includes the two species, H. salicifolia and H. elliptica, that have distributions extending to South America. The genus is named after the Greek goddess of youth, Hebe.

Hebe has four perpendicular rows of leaves in opposite decussate pairs. The flowers are perfect, the corolla usually has four slightly unequal lobes, the flower has two stamens and a long style. Flowers are arranged in a spiked inflorescence. Identification of Hebe species is difficult, especially if they are not in flower. The plants range in size from dwarf shrubs to small trees up to 7 metres, and are distributed from coastal to alpine ecosystems. Large-leaved species are normally found on the coast, in lowland scrub and along forest margins. At higher altitudes smaller-leaved species grow, and in alpine areas there are whipcord species with leaves reduced to thick scales.

Hebes are grown in many gardens and public areas; they attract butterflies. Hebes cope with most soil types, and can be propagated easily from both seed and cuttings.


Selected species
Hebe acutiflora (Northland River Koromiko) is a species of plant in the Plantaginaceae family. It is endemic to New Zealand.

Hebe barkeri. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Hebe breviracemosa is an plant of the family Plantaginaceae native to Raoul Island , Kermadec Islands Group, New Zealand. Still very rare on Raoul Island, it was once thought to be extinct, until one plant was rediscovered in 1983.

Hebe ochracea is an ornamental plant, which is endemic to New Zealand.

Hebe diosmifolia

Hebe stricta (The Koromiko)

Hebe speciosa is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family known by the common names New Zealand hebe, showy hebe, and showy-speedwell. It is native to New Zealand but it can be found in other parts of the world where it is grown as an ornamental for its showy flowers. This hebe is a shrub reaching heights between one and two meters. Its evergreen leaves are dark green, shiny, and quite thick, usually measuring 2 to 5 centimeters long. The inflorescence is up to 8 centimeters long and densely packed with pale pink to bright magenta flowers. Each flower is just under a centimeter wide and has a short throat spreading into a four-lobed corolla. Two very long stamens protrude from the throat of each flower, giving the inflorescence a whiskery look. The fruit is a capsule containing flat, smooth seeds.

Hebe traversii is an ornamental plant.

Kniphofia

Kniphofia (Tritoma, Red hot poker, Torch lily, Poker plant) is a genus of plants in the family Asphodelaceae that includes 70 or more species native to Africa. Some species have been commercially used for horticultural use and are commonly... more >>>

Caladium

Caladium is a genus of plants of the family Araceae. They are often known by the common name elephant ear (which they share with the closely related genera Alocasia, Colocasia, and Xanthosoma), Heart of Jesus, and Angel Wings. There are over... more >>>

Veronica

Veronica is the largest genus in the flowering plant family Plantaginaceae, with about 500 species; it was formerly classified in the family Scrophulariaceae. Common names include speedwell, bird's eye, and gypsyweed.

The... more >>>

Woodsia

Woodsia is a genus of ferns in the family Woodsiaceae.


Species
Woodsia alpina, commonly known as Alpine Woodsia, is a fern found in northern latitudes in North America and Eurasia. Also known as Northern... more >>>

Acanthophoenix

Acanthophoenix is a monoecious genus of flowering plant in the palm family from the Mascarene Islands in the Indian Ocean, where they are commonly called palmiste rouge. A genus long in flux, three species are currently recognized, however... more >>>