Hebe ochracea 'JAMES STIRLING' whipcord hebe

James Stirling is an extraordinary hebe. It has tiny, scaly leaves on whipcord-like branches. They look almost like cypress plants which is why this species if often mistaken for cypress hebe. The colour is the key attractive attractive: golden-green in summer to almost honey-brown with amber hues in winter. James Stirling usually doesn't flower.

It is a mound-forming, compact shrub that grows twice as wide as tall. It grows slowly and requires no pruning. Only unpruned plants maintain their original, inimitable shape. Only if you need to reduce its size trim it lightly, making sure you cut the plant evenly on all sides.

Hebes need very well-drained but constantly moist, poor or medium fertile soil that is anything from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline. It needs good mulching at all times. They originate in New Zealand i.e. a country with high air humidity and mild winters so for our climate we only choose the hardies species and varieties which are mostly dwarf and have small leaves. James Stirling belong to the hardiest and withstands min. -27°C (USDA zone 5b) without any protection. Suitable for outdoor pots.

Last update 02-01-2011; 11-12-2019