Hebe is one of the most common types of plants in New Zealand. Here are 8 facts about it, focusing on the variety found on Mt. Taranaki, Veronica stricta egmontiana.
Considering the fact that this is the most common type of flowering plant in the country, I think it’s worth taking the time to learn about it. I’ve come across hebes many times when exploring New Zealand. I’ve seen them while on the trails of the South Island and also all over the North Island. Personally, I’ve seen the species that grows on Mt. Taranaki the most as that is where I spend a lot of time. Here is a little bit of information to help you appreciate this plant more.
8 Hebe Facts – Also Known As Koromiko
There are about 90 species of hebes in New Zealand, making it the largest genus of flowering plants in the country. These plants can be found throughout the main islands of New Zealand. Hebes belong to a genus of plants that can be found in other parts of the world, namely French Polynesia, the Falkland Islands, and South America.
These hebes in New Zealand are another good example of species radiation in New Zealand, similar to the lizards and flightless birds (i.e. kiwis). Most of these species are endemic and scientists speculate that all of the endemic species may have diversified from a common ancestor, beginning about 4 million years ago!
The te reo (Maori) name for this plant is koromiko. Be careful and don’t get it confused with the very similar sounding koromako, the bellbird.
It can be quite difficult to identify the species or subspecies of these plants because they are so similar looking, especially when they are not flowering. They grow in a range of sizes (from a shrub to a small tree) and from the coast up to the alpine areas.
Hebe has a history of medicinal use, mainly as a treatment for dysentery or diarrhoea. In fact, during World War II the leaves were sent to New Zealand troops in North Africa to help treat dysentery.
The hebe found on Mt. Taranaki is called Veronica stricta egmontiana. It can be found growing all over the mountain from the lowland forest up to the subalpine areas. It grows as a shrub to a small tree up to 3 metres tall.
The koromiko on Mt. Taranaki has very long, thin, pale green leaves. The long, narrow leaves help distinguish it from other hebes.
Veronica stricta egmontiana grows tiny white or lilac flowers that are in dense inflourescences (clusters of flowers). The clusters of flowers, which grow longer than the leaves themselves, are quite prominent and usually bloom in late summer. These tiny flowers mainly rely on insects to pollinate them.