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Dying Hebe x andersonii 'Variegata

Lisarc26Lisarc26 Posts: 33
in Problem solving
Hello everyone.  I wondered if someone could offer some advice? The recent snow totally destroyed my Hebe x andersonii variegata plant.
Is it salvageable? If I cut it back in March, quite low, will it grow back? Or is it a lost cause? I have 2 others in my garden that have suffered the same fate from the snow!

Thanks in advance everyone!

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It's not snow that sees them off, it's wet cold. Variegated ones aren't as hardy anyway.
    It'll have been wet, then a bit of freezing that will have been the problem, unless you're in a much colder, very snowy area north of where I am, but even then, it would only affect them if the snow [and it would need to be more than few inches] was lying for a long time, and then the melt would cause the problem. 

    Unfortunately, they don't always recover from cutting back either. It's quite common here, even with the plain coloured varieties .  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I've had those a couple of times and found that they don't usually make it through even a milder winter and if they do, they never really grow back properly and look bedraggled until the next winter which does for them. And that's with a not-very-wet climate and sandy well-drained soil, so unless you live somewhere very mild, I think they'd need to be grown in containers and moved into a greenhouse for the winter, or just treated as temporary bedding. The RHS website says H4, hardy in most of the UK, but that's not been my experience.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited February 2023
    @Lisarc26 Hebe andersonii may come through a milder winter here but a cold and wet one combined is the problem.  Hebes are normally cut back after flowering but because they flower for such a long time and with the late autumn this year, it has been difficult to decide whether to prune or not.

    The best that could happen, cut back in spring find sighs of life, it probably won't flower and it will take months to regrow.

    There is a large hebe in a garden near me it gets full sun but the soil is likely to be wet.
    It is completely black not sure it will survive. Gardeners often cut Hebes back hard but underestimate just how long it takes for them to rejuvenate.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • Lisarc26Lisarc26 Posts: 33
    Oh I see!.. that makes sense. Thanks everyone who responded!
     Yes, the snow was quite heavy in December, and covered the plants for almost 2 weeks! So once it melted, it was probably very wet!

    Thanks a lot for all the suggestions. I think I will just have to replace them!.. Such a shame as it has been growing nicely for the past 4 or 5 years!
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    They aren't the toughest plants unfortunately - only if you're in milder, drier parts of the country. The reds can be pretty iffy too  :)
    I've frequently lost H. buxifolia over the years, but I like it as it's a good 'globe' shape naturally, so a nice foil for other plants. I've currently got a self seeded one near the back window, next to a peony, where the ground is mostly gravel. It had seeded into the gravel at the foot of the steps, and after potting on and planting, is a good size now - a few years on. 
    If you have a viable one, it's worth doing some cuttings. You would have some backup then if they all fail.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @Lisarc26 I think it is possible you will face the same problem again, this particular Hebe is not very hardy. It is often used in pots to boost summer displays, I have never seen a large mature plant growing locally and looking happy.  Alot of plants have been ok with the weather for the past few winters, we are lulled into a false sense of security. Then a cold wet winter arrives and plants are lost to the weather. 
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • Steph111Steph111 Posts: 22
    Pretty sure my Hebe x andersonii 'Variegata is a goner too :( I'm in Manchester so lots of rain but we also had -7 before Christmas. Like others have said, I'll see how it does with a prune in Spring but it's not looking hopeful!
  • parrotfeather*parrotfeather* Posts: 188
    Mine is also looking very sad, and it is in a border in light, well-drained soil right next to the house wall (in NE Notts).  I usually take cuttings as this particular Hebe never comes through a hard winter, although it has been OK in recent years where it is.  This year, of course, I forgot to take the cuttings!
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