Description
Parahebe – Derwentia – Veronica –
There are about 30 evergreen or semi evergreen subshrubs and herbaceous perennial and annuals in this genus. Most are from Australia and New Zealand, with a few from Papua New Guinea, occurring mainly in sunny and dry, stony habitats or scree. They have woody based stems, and produce opposite, usually small and rounded with toothed, mid to dark green or blue green leaves, stalkless or with very short stalks. They are grown for their erect, axillary spring and summer borne racemes of small, saucer shaped, usually white, pink, mauve, or blue flowers frequently with contrasting markings, each flower has 4, rarely 5, often pointed, unequal petals. Often mat forming or decumbent, parahebes are effective tumbling over wall or large rocks, or growing through shrubs, and are also suitable for a gravel bed.
Grow in well drained, poor to moderately fertile soil in full sun. Where not hardy, shelter from cold, drying winds.
Prone to slugs.
P. perfoliata – Veronica perfoliata – Digger’s Speedwell – This woody based, evergreen perennial from Southeastern Australia grows 24-30″ tall and 18″ wide. From arching, spreading stems it carries pairs of broadly ovate, toothed, slightly leathery, glaucous, blue or gray-green leaves, 2″ long, overlapping at the bases, each pair arranged at right angles to the next pair. In late summer, it bears racemes of saucer shaped blue flowers, up to ½” across.
Zones 9-11
