Hebe Renovation query
keeleywilson2
Posts: 6
in Plants
Hi all,
In our jungle of a back garden, we have inherited a massive, 2m+ high Hebe salicfolia.
At the moment it's in flower and looks lovely, except there's a big...hole? in the side of it. So now it kind of looks like the Death Star.
I made my husband look into the hole to make sure it wasn't a wasp nest or something (I'm brave like that! 
), but he said he couldn't see anything. So what I'm thinking is it probably is falling apart under it's own weight?
Do you think it's worth trying to renovate it? Prune it back really hard this year and see what happens? It's too big for the garden anyway, so it will need to be cut back... Or do I cut my losses, and just scrap the whole plant?
Thanks guys!
0
Posts
Keely is the hole in a branch or a stem if it is prune it right down to the base.If its a thicket do exactly the same until your left with healthy growth. I won't leave it much longer. I don'know if you've noticed but some trees are turning round here and tells me Autumns on its way. If you leave it latter and its major pruning. It'll give it enough time to recover before the wet and frostie weather comes.
Hi, thanks so much for that. Maybe I didn't explain myself very well, the hole isn't in a branch, it's more like a massive gap in the foliage? So instead of a complete dome, there's a big circle of nothingness. I think I will cut it back though. Thank you!
Hebe's react well to hard pruning but I'd leave it until spring so it has time to recover. You can cut it down to about 12" if needed and you'll be surprised at how quickly it starts to grow again.
Okay, that's really useful to know! I will resist the urge for now then!
Thanks!
I have found hebes to be a bit tempremental as far as hard pruning goes. Some recover some don't.