''Veronica speciosa'',

synonym A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are all ...

''Hebe speciosa'', is a species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae, known by the common names New Zealand hebe, showy hebe, showy-speedwell, and the Maori names titirangi and napuka. Like most hebes, it is native to New Zealand but it can be found in other parts of the world where it is grown as an

ornamental Ornamental may refer to: *Ornamental grass, a type of grass grown as a decoration *Ornamental iron, mild steel that has been formed into decorative shapes, similar to wrought iron work *Ornamental plant, a plant that is grown for its ornamental qua ...

for its showy flowers.

Description

''Veronica speciosa'' is a

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

reaching heights between one and two meters. Its evergreen leaves are dark green, shiny, and quite thick, usually measuring 2 to 5 centimeters long. The inflorescence is up to 8 centimeters long and densely packed with pale pink to bright magenta flowers. Each flower is just under a centimeter wide and has a short throat spreading into a four-lobed corolla. Two very long

stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...

s protrude from the throat of each flower, giving the inflorescence a whiskery look. The fruit is a capsule containing flat, smooth seeds.

Cultivation

Its many cultivars and hybrids are very popular garden plants in area with suitably mild temperate climates. Many can even be grown outdoors in sheltered parts of

southern Britain England and Wales () is one of the three legal jurisdictions of the United Kingdom. It covers the constituent countries England and Wales and was formed by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. The substantive law of the jurisdiction is Engli ...

. They appeal because of their lush evergreen foliage, showy flowerheads, long blooming season and ease of cultivation. Popular cultivars include the purple-flowered 'Alicia Amherst' and deep pink 'Simon Deleaux'. Hybrids includes cultivars of ''Veronica × andersonii'' (''Veronica salicifolia'' × ''Veronica speciosa''), especially the variegated 'Andersonii'; and ''Veronica × franciscana'' (''Veronica elliptica'' × ''Veronica speciosa'') cultivars such as 'Blue Gem' and 'Waireka'. ''Veronica speciosa'' is included in the Tasmanian Fire Service's list of low flammability plants, indicating that it is suitable for growing within a building protection zone.

References

External links

Jepson Manual TreatmentUSDA Plants Profile
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Photo gallery
{{Taxonbar, from1=Q17744711, from2=Q5695474 speciosa Flora of New Zealand Plants described in 1926 Garden plants of New Zealand