poorly-hebe
GDNAM
Posts: 13
Hi again,
I have had this Hebe for probably 20 years, it was moved once in it's time but has been in the current position for about 5 years. The last 2 years it has looked quite sickly and stragley, last year it seemed to flower ok, but quickly went over. This year it has hardly flowered at all and now looks as in the pic below.
Can I cut it right back to base and hope it will send up new shoots, or is it just 'old and tired'?
Am not sure exactly which Hebe it is but have included a pic of one the flowers it did produce. We would hate to lose it as it brings fond memories of one of our cats who always sat under it for shade. The wife calls it Charlies Bush 
Many thanks for any help...
Sorry pics will not upload will add later !
0
Posts
Sorry about the Pussycat but dig up the Hebe and pop it in the dustbin! To have had a Hebe for 20 years is an achievement but just accept that its end is nigh and so do not waste any more time on it.
Hebe`s are not fully hardy and a severe winter can kill or badly damage them.
Hi GDNAM
I'm going to disagree with bigolob and say trim it back hard this autumn. I did that to one of our stagley sickly hebe's last year - sorry not sure which variety - and it has gone crazy this year with tons of flowers. I took about 2/3 of branches down to almost ground level and the remaining 1/3 to about 1/2 their original length. You could also give it a good feed and mulch and see if that helps.
It's gotta be worth a try - especially if it's sentimental memories for your wife.
You could try taking some cuttings, hebe's usually take quite easily. just in case you can't save the plant.
Thanks for the help.
I will try and take some cuttings (if I can find some healthy stems!) and see how a good trim does.
But as bigolob says it is old and perhaps ready for replacement.