New Zealand Flame Bush (Hebe)

» Diana_Pederson - Hi: I just bought a plant labeled New Zealand Flame Bush (Heb

I just bought a plant labeled New Zealand Flame Bush (Hebe). The label provides no care instruction. I also have to take care of these plants at work and teach my customers about them.

All I can tell you is it has variegated leaves, is a small, bushy plant, with purple flowers. Looks wonderful and I wannt to keep it that way.

Any information is appreciated. Please answer here in your discussion area because these plants are now being sold here in a major michigan discount store chain as "houseplants". Also send me a personal email if you don't mind to enabling@tir.com since I urgently need this information!

Diana Pederson
The Enabling Garden editor at SUITE101.com

-- posted by Diana_Pederson

» LyndaH - Hi Diana, You've got me stumped! I've looked in all my garde

You've got me stumped! I've looked in all my gardening books but I can't find a variegated hebe called known as flame bush. Now, if it indeed IS a hebe, it will prefer full sun to part-shade, it will be resistant to salty sea winds, it will survive light frosts, and it will benefit from a spring prune. Hebes are evergreen.

The fact that it's being sold as an indoor plant however could mean it isn't actually a hebe. I rang a few garden centres today and none have heard of a hebe sold as New Zealand flame bush. But it does sound like a hebe, with little purple flowers.

Tim might be able to help you if he's passing by suite101 in the next couple of days. Otherwise, I'll give the regional botanic gardens a call first thing on Monday morning - their gardener breeds hebes so should know!

good luck!

-- posted by LyndaH