Hebe pinguifolia

Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Veronica pinguifolia, Hook. f. (V. carnosula, Hort., not Hook. f.). Branches stout, more or less decumbent, ringed with lf .-scars: lvs. imbricating to erect-patent, sessile, narrow-oblong to almost orbicular, 1/4 – 1/2 in. long, glabrous, usually thick, glaucous, generally margined red: spikes crowded near tips of branches, short, stout, dense-fld.: fls. white, ovary pubescent. Summer. Mountains, to 7,000 ft., New Zeal. B.M. 6587.—A fairly hardy polymorphic species containing many most distinct plants admirably suited for rockeries. The forms with larger almost orbicular lvs. are generally termed V. carnosula in gardens, but this species, distinguished by its glabrous ovary and acute caps., is probably not in cult. V. amplexicaulis, J. F. Armstg., is an extremely striking allied plant readily distinguished by its far-spreading branches and cordate, semi-amplexicaul lvs. nearly 1 in. long. B.M. 7370. V. decumbens, J. B. Armstg., is of similar habit to V. pinguifolia but the lvs. are green, though similarly margined red. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.