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Veronica speciosa
Also called Purple Hebe
Veronica speciosa, also called New Zealand hebe or purple hebe, is an evergreen shrub from New Zealand's North Island grown for its showy spikes of pink to magenta flowers. It is best in mild temperate or subtropical gardens, and is less hardy in cold climates.
Veronica speciosa, synonym Hebe speciosa, is a species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae, known by the common names New Zealand hebe, showy hebe, showy-speedwell, and the Māori names titirangi and napuka. Like most hebes, 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.
Its many cultivars and hybrids are very popular garden plants in area with suitably mild temperate climates. Many can even be grown outdoors in sheltered parts of southern Britain. They appeal because of their lush evergreen foliage, showy flowerheads, long blooming season and ease of cultivation.
Popular cultivars include the purple-flowered 'Alicia Amherst' and deep pink 'Simon Deleaux'. Hybrids includes cultivars of Veronica × andersonii (Veronica salicifolia × Veronica speciosa), especially the variegated 'Andersonii'; and Veronica × franciscana (Veronica elliptica × Veronica speciosa) cultivars such as 'Blue Gem' and 'Waireka'.
Veronica sect. Hebe · Veronica Recurva · American speedwell · Water speedwell · Corn speedwell · Broadleaf speedwell · European speedwell · Fiordland Parahebe · Pink Water-speedwell · Ash Coloured Speedwell · Dillenius' speedwell · Silver Speedwell
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Veronica speciosa by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
