Hebe is a group of plants within the genus Veronica, native to New Zealand, Rapa in French Polynesia, the Falkland Islands and South America.
The plants range in size from dwarf shrubs to small trees up to 7 metres (23 feet), and are distributed from coastal to alpine ecosystems.
Large-leaved species are normally found on the coast, in lowland scrub and along forest margins.
Their ability to withstand salt-laden winds makes them especially suited to coastal areas, for instance the South West of England, where they are often grown as hedges.
The following cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:[8]