Kingdom: Plantae
(Unranked): Angiosperms
(Unranked): Eudicots
(Unranked): Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Plantaginaceae
Genus: Hebe
Species: H. 'Sandra Joy'
Binomial name: Hebe 'Sandra Joy'
'Sandra Joy' is a Hebe variety which is an erect bushy evergreen shrub with long branches that grows to a height of 90cm x width 1m. This is hybrid cross of H. speciosa and H. macrocarpa var. latisepala. Jack Hobbs of the Auckland Regional Botanical gardens was the creator. It has long ovate mid green glossy leaves. The leaves are up to 10cm long and up to 3cm wide, elongate-elliptic to oblanceolate. The leaves margins are pubescent (hairy) and reddish. In summer and autumn the deep red wine buds open to large dark purple/blue flowers, they are dense and smother the bush on simple racemes up to 12cm long. It will grow in sun or semi-shade, best in well drained soil, will grow in dry sites. Grows in exposed and coastal sites, and will always look best in these conditions.
Flowering February.
[1]
Upper surface of a leaf showing the pubescent reddish margins.
[4]
The underside of a leaf.
