The Hebe that never blooms

Mander

I've got a couple of these hebes that I propagated from a dying shrub that came with my house. I don't know what variety it is but it has never shown any sign of flowering. I think it's been 8 years or so since I propagated it and planted it out. One is in partial shade on the north side of the house, and I've got another in a pot on the sunny side. Is it a variety that doesn't usually have flowers, perhaps?

Plantminded

I  have a group of three hebes similar to yours that have never flowered - I put this down to the fact that they get very limited direct sun.  That wouldn't explain why your Hebe in a pot doesn't flower though!  Another possibility is that feeding can cause too much green growth at the expense of flowers.  Also, a light pruning at the end of summer helps to promote new flowering shoots the following year.  I like the green colour of these small leaved varieties and their natural dome shape.  I've got others planted in sun, they flower well but don't last long if that's any consolation!

GardenerSuze

You can get a few tiny white flowers on this Hebe if planted in full sun but they are not that interesting .I agree just enjoy the leaves. A good green back drop for other plants .

bertrand-mabel

We many year ago bought a hebe from a great man who did all sorts and one was a hebe that he had made cross pollinating with another and the result he called it after his wife Enid White. We still have the 2 in tubs and they still flower each year but we do need to be carefull if rain hasn't been around. These are only hebes that we have  but they have such a great history for us because where they came from.

Fairygirl

A lot of varieties have very few flowers anyway, and can be quite disappointing if they don't have perfect conditions. The white flowered ones tend to be the worst for that in my experience.

Pete.8

I had row of about 30ft of similar looking hebes on one side of my garden when I moved here.
I took them all out many years later as I only ever got a few tiny white flowers each year

Mander

I do like the look of them and their little leaves but I see other gardens with these interesting purple flowers and have wondered what the difference is. I'm really mean to my plants and pretty much never remember to feed them so I don't think they are over fed, but perhaps under?

GardenerSuze

@Mander I doubt whether feeding makes a huge difference to Hebes, it is growing conditions that matter most. There are so many different ones I have seen yours with flowers on just one side of the plant. Perhaps a trip to a good nursery or GC might help, take a note book, which I always have when I am out and about and note the ones you like. As you say many of the purple forms have lovely flowers. Sometimes white forms of plants can be poor flowers as opposed to other colours and I think this applies to your Hebe. 

Balgay.Hill

I wanted a small Hebe to fill a space, and settled on Hebe Youngii that i planted last autumn. It has put on growth since then.
The spot is on a West facing slope, in full sun and well drained soil, so it 'should' be happy. If it doesn't flower, it will be removed. 

Fairygirl

White varieties of lots of plants can be poorer in terms of flowering. The purple Hebes are generally more floriferous. Hundreds of varieties though, so it can be trail and error.

GardenerSuze

@Balgay.Hill  I grew H youngii many years ago no problems at all with flowering. I think it had another name all those years ago just to confuse things!