An Introduction to Hebes
Hebe ’Nicola’s Blush’
© The Royal Horticultural Society 2025
Welcome to The Hebe and NZ Plant Society; if you have found us, then you most definitely have an interest in Hebes! However, not everyone is an expert on Hebes, so we’ve compiled this short guide to what they are, where they’re from, and what plants they’re related to. This isn’t guaranteed to transform you into a Hebe expert, but one thing that can be guaranteed is that you’ll learn something new and interesting about our favourite evergreen shrubs!
So, what are Hebes?
In short, Hebes are evergreen plants – typically shrubs – although some species can be small shrublets and other trees. A prominent terminal leaf bud is seen on most Hebes. Many Hebes have their leaves in rows in opposite pairs; looking along the stem they form a cross. The flowers may be white, purple, pink or red, and are arranged in racemes, spikes or panicles.
Hebes are named after the Greek goddess of youth, who also represented the blossoming of nature and spring. As Hebes are usually very hardy, what better goddess to be named after than the one who represents immortality!
Portrait of Anna Pitt as Hebe by Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun
Hebe distribution
Hebes are the largest genus of flowering plants in New Zealand, including over 100 species and varieties. Hebes are found throughout New Zealand, from seashore to mountainside; from the semi-tropical north to the cool south; in high and low rainfall areas. They are found on both main islands of New Zealand, and on all outlying islands, in a variety of habitats.
One species, Hebe rapensis, has been found on Rapa, in the Austral Islands of French Polynesia, midway between New Zealand and South America. Two species, Hebe elliptica and Hebe salicifolia, are found both in New Zealand and southern South America.
Hebe elliptica
© 2025 New Zealand Plant Conservation Network
Hebe salicifolia
Allied genera
Hebes are closely related to Veronicas (commonly known as speedwell) – their flowers are similar. Some Hebe species have been transferred into Heliohebe and Leonohebe, although this has not yet been accepted in the UK.
Parahebes are subshrubs that is mainly found in New Zealand, and are intermediate in form between Hebe and Veronica. Detzneria from New Guinea and Derwentiana from Australia are closely related to Hebe.
A brief history of Hebes
Recent research suggests that the ancestor of the genus Hebe arrived in New Zealand in recent geological time, about 5 million years ago. The origin of Hebes may even be Australian or Asian. The greater number of Hebe species in the New Zealand mountains indicates that hebes started there and later colonised the lowlands. As time goes by, we find out more and more about Hebes their existence in past times.
Did you learn something new?
So there we go – hopefully you learnt a new fact about Hebes, and if you didn’t find out any new information, maybe you are an expert! If you have any questions about Hebes or other New Zealand plants, don’t hesitate to contact us using the form at the bottom of the page.