If not much happens here maybe try GW California forum.

There are a bazillion different hybrids and cultivars of Hebe available.......maybe look for a different type? We sell a lot of hebes at my nursery, both types quite tender for this area as well as the more reliably hardy ones. Have yet to encounter any issues with a viral problem that affects all these plants, so would suspect that it may be limited to that specific cultivar or its close relatives.

The attached link outlines a large selection of hebes and their appropriateness for a PNW climate but you may be able to find some useful info to help you make another choice.

no one is growing this because of the strong tendency to get a viral infection and they die

You are sure this is an actual virus, and not something else? Lawrie Metcalf (2006, Hebes, Timber Press, Portland) says

Without doubt, downy mildew (Peronospora grisea) is the most serious and most universal disease affecting hebes around the world

and also discusses Fusarium Wilt, Phytophthora Root Rot and Septoria Leaf Spot without mentioning viruses.

When I called the large nursery in my area they told me that they did not have it because it died of a virus. I also notice, Lowes or Home Depot do not carry it. So far no nursery in my area carries this plant even though it is a zone 9 plant

Interesting just found Hebe Veronica at Armstrong nursery @gardengal48 and @Embothrium thank you for the info after reading the diseases I think they were mistaken what they described sounds more like root rot which is preventable I will take my chances.

"Virus" gets thrown around a lot in reference to disease problems on nursery or garden plants but viruses are actually not the most frequently seen causal agents. But in your case the outcome is the same whatever the specific problem - the plant has developed some kind of interfering drawback and been effectively removed from circulation, making it appear necessary to find something else. If it were me I would cruise some local independent plant outlets and look for possible substitutes.

In your first post you called it "Hebe veronica lake" (correctly 'Veronica Lake') but in the title and your last post you called it "Hebe veronica" and "Hebe Veronica" respectively - making me wonder if you have been talking to people about the same item the whole time - or if instead one time or another it might have been a different kind of Hebe being discussed by the other party (Veronica being both a common name and an alternative generic classification for Hebe, making "Hebe Veronica" redundant).

Well, one nursery said Veronica was the old name for Hebe and he specifically mentioned Veronica Lake, another did not recognize what I was asking for unless I mentioned the name Veronica. Most nurseries do not carry Hebe at all only Armstrong nursery in my area carry Hebe Veronica as she called it.

There's all different kinds of Hebes sold by independent outlets up here.

I know that is what the designer of the garden that I am going to model my planters after told me. Another nursery said she did not know why they did not carry it possibly just lack of popularity. I did find it at one local nursery, Armstrong, so think I will chance it I will only require about 4 plants so its worth the risk unless they are crazy expensive

There are so many Hebes that I'm sure there's another cultivar which would suit just as well as Veronica Lake. Some Hebes

Gardengal I suspect Hebes are more common in Northern California, though of course many will grow fine in the cooler, coastal parts of SoCal. But Riverside is inland empire, and fairly hot...average of 95/65 in summer! At the very least Hebes there are going to need more watering than other, more drought tolerant choices. They come from New Zealand and the hottest place there is pretty much this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auckland Summers are a paltry 77/59!

David, I doubt heat is an issue with hebes - they certainly have thrived in our overly hot summer. Humidity is, but humidity in CA is seldom an issue :-) Ditto with the phormium, with similar origins. Heat OK, humidity not :-) And neither is overly drought tolerant but in a planter rather than in the landscape, they can receive a bit more individualized attention.

gardengal48 funny you should mention phormiums my planter will have those as well and I can find those everywhere it is only the Hebe I have only found at one nursery. Again one nursery claimed it was because of disease the others do not know why they do not carry it.

Hey David!

Ggal,

If someone from the Inland Empire chimes in that UK-bred Hebes make long-term successful plants in the area, I will stand corrected. The issue is if you're watering in 95/65 average temps, soil temperature + moisture could become high enough to bring on root rots or foliar diseases. (which seemingly is why this thread started...) I don't think your PNW conditions are really comparable - this summer you were hot by your standards but nowhere near having months of 95/65 on average, which means of course some days will go into the 100s. I kept one of the tougher hebes alive here for years (it was one of the boring looking ones, pinguifolia I think?) so they can be heat and somewhat humidity tolerant; I would just wonder if the showy hybrids are as tough. Rhonda's comment: "funny you should mention phormiums my planter will have those as well
and I can find those everywhere it is only the Hebe I have only found at
one nursery" makes me think Inland Empire nursery owners have the same concerns that I do!

OTOH maybe the soil there are very loose, and the groundwater there oddly cool or something, and the necessary watering acts as some kind of localized swamp cooler LOL. I have previously pointed out that in the warmer part of Sonoma Co. CA, at the rhodie nursery there they can grow various ones that do not tolerate our conditions from high altitude SW Asia. BUT, their nights are about 58, and their days only mid 80s, usually. I have no doubt Hebes could grow fine there, as again, it's only a little warmer than NZ (or the mid-altitude Himalayas!). Inland Empire is a lot warmer.

As for Phormium, again the hybrids are very weak in challenging climates, but I've now had Sean's cold hardy selection from NZ since 2011 and they (2 plants) survived the two cold winters and very humid summers since then. Admittedly, they died back severely after the back to back 20 year winters; had we had 2 mild ones in a row instead I think they would be blooming size by now.

So David, I'm kinda back where I started, you are familiar with my area it sounds like just because one nursery carries a Hebe it sounds as though it is destined for failure and not worth the time, money energy and worry. So what with that similar green foliage and purple flower might be something that can take full sun hot summers?

Well, again, I'm more familiar with "where Hebes are from" than the Inland Empire area, per se. I can't be sure...some hybrids or species could do well there, I just have my doubts that most of the common UK or NZ bred ones would.

A good idea is always to visit a local botanical garden and see if you spot something appealing. The Huntington is amazing and any resident of SoCal should in my humble opinion avail themselves of a visit, at least once. There could be other gardens closer to you...does Redlands University have a botanical garden?

Drought & heat tolerant + purple flowers...nothing springs to mind for me except rosemary and lavender...surely there are other more exotic choices for zn 9b.

Have been to Huntington Gardens many many years ago, gorgeous! But this was long before I considered planting my own. English lavender I am going to use in another planter by my door. UCR may have a small botanical garden could make an interesting afternoon, though my 14 yr old may disagree. Lol

As hebes are relatively inexpensive little plants when small, why not try them? Provided you can locate some easily, that is :-) A lot of what we know about plant hardiness and heat tolerance comes from planting things that may not have previously been considered as suitable for the area. These are only guidelines after all and this sort of trial and error experimentation has lead to a much broader range of plant suitability than was originally thought. At the most, you may be out a few bucks if they can't take the heat. Much of what we do as gardeners is experiment with a particular plant in a particular place and as long as it is not a major investment (like a tree), if it doesn't work, NBD.

The Huntington IS a magical place. I spent hours wandering their succulent garden - what an amazing collection of plants!

Very true, I just hate killing things! Lol

Speaking from a position of complete ignorance ..... would dwarf Ceanothus of some sort vaguely mimic Hebes in SoCal? Maybe this one?Or Texas Sage? (I don't know it at all, personally.) Texas Sage

Yeah, actually floral that's a great idea. They are CA natives of course and obviously more summer-drought tolerant than almost anything from NZ.

Riverside has its own botanical garden, which I have been to myself.

http://gardens.ucr.edu/

The Texas sage is gorgeous but I fear it would grow too tall for the space. The ceanothus might be an alternative though it would require pruning to keep it in check. This is the look I have in mind in a planter twice as long.

Hebe and Veronica are the same mythical persons, the first bathed the wounds of Ares, the second wiped Jesus's face on the road to Calvary